Dreams of Knight Final Fantasy VIII
by Liminal Raz
Summary: More than just a novelization, this retelling of FFVIII is full of new scenarios and a deeper look into the characters, while still retaining the same overall feel of the original game.
1. What he lived for Part I: Noon

**DISCLAIMER:**

_Final Fantasy_ and its characters belong to Square-Enix. _Final Fantasy VIII_'s original scenario was written by Kazushige Nojima, and is also the property of Square-Enix. This novelization is being done purely for fun, no infringement intended, and I hereby DISCLAIM ownership of _Final Fantasy VIII_, both in part and in full. (In other words, it's not mine, no matter how much I wish it was!)

**Chapter I**

He felt a tightness between his eyes; whether it was pressure or pain, he could not determine at this time. Something hot and fluid ran down his face, the bitter liquid even creeping into the corners of his mouth as he gasped for breaths. He had the strangest sensation that he was floating through the air, and had it not been for his determination to discover the reason, he would have believed himself to be dead.

But no, that would have been too easy.

His bangs clumped together in the sticky substance covering his face; he could feel it, even amidst the numbness.

The sun was so bright, hindering his attempts to make out the black silhouettes around him. He squinted in its brilliance, raising a hand to block the intense morning rays, and then he noticed the red stained leather glove. Perhaps it was his current state of mind, still in shock, but he didn't recognize it for what it was, instead dismissing it as some kind of illusion, or a trick that had been played upon him by the dawning twilight. But when he lowered his arm and turned his head, he noticed he was not the only one covered in that crimson substance.

"Hyne, look at these two," an unfamiliar voice spoke, reawakening his memories.

"I've never seen anyone go this far before. They're lucky they didn't..."

He could not see their faces, nor could he tell which voice belonged to which figure. It didn't matter, he needed them both to stop. Why couldn't he tell them to? Where was his own voice?

"The Headmaster won't be too thrilled about this..."

"Especially today, of all days... Man, oh man..."

They needed to stop. He needed to get down, there was something he left behind. "S... Sto..." That bitter fluid again, preventing his vocals from sounding with any amount of clarity. Still, he had to fight it, he had to make them turn around.

He somehow managed to roll onto his side and then reached his arm out, stretching it farther than reason said he could. The distance was just too great however, and it only grew larger with each weakening beat of his heart. "St... stop... My..." Suddenly, his lungs refused to open up any longer, and the pressure he'd felt in his head had multiplied ten fold in his chest. He screamed to be let go.

If they heard him, they ignored him. If anything, his pleas only seemed to make them quicken their pace, and rush with an urgency that hardly seemed justified.

"Hurry, we're losing him! Doctor!" The shadowed figure shouted with an alarming tone. "Doctor Kadowaki, over here, now!"

His vision suddenly darkened, and all sounds muffled to his ears. That pressure on his head intensified, but whatever was causing it seemed to elude all his rational reasoning.

Before he knew it, he was on the ground, the cold of the granite bedrock seeping straight through his leather jacket. There, as the light from the sky no longer seemed as bright, he had sensed it; time had stopped.

**Dreams of Knight, Final Fantasy VIII  
**- Project: Requiem for a Sorceress -

**The first piece...**  
What he lived for... Part I: Noon

She loved the periods of calm the hallways saw while classes were in session. Somehow or another, it almost seemed surreal, as if she were witnessing them in a state that was anomalistic, something not meant to exist, or at least, definitely outside the norm. Late at night, when the lights were dim and the windows dark, was really the only other time the halls were ever this peaceful.

Not that long ago, she herself would get caught up in the frenzy of that between-class riot where everyone rushed to get where they belonged. Now, however, she found herself confined to a solitary room on the second floor, not having to worry about being late for class, but at the same time, missing the finer points of being a student. She was an instructor now, at the very academy she grew up in. It seemed almost absurd at first thought; what motivated her to pursue such a path? The answer, she knew full well, but denied for a fear she didn't want to acknowledge.

The clap of her boots echoed behind her as she made her way for the elevator which would take her to the main lobby. This uniform she wore was something else she felt was somewhat surreal. For so long, she'd been underneath those who wore it, taking orders and obeying strict rules, but now it was she who gave the orders. It'd been less than a year, and it was proving to be a rather difficult concept for her, in many different aspects.

The hallway she was walking down gave way to a platform with open walls, allowing a view straight down over thirty feet to the ground floor. Directly ahead of her was the main elevator, enclosed in a shaft made of thick cylindrical stone and plexiglass walls, like one of those vacuum tubes used by drive-thru banks. There were five of them, all housed in a single core that rose straight up through the heart of the academy's main complex.

The glass was tinted dark enough to conceal details of the interior, but still translucent enough to make out the elevator car itself as it moved up and down with passengers.

She pushed the call button and then drew a deep breath. Not really sure what drove her to do so, she let it out quickly and leaned against the railing, folding her arms over her stomach with a slight smirk. It was him that had her feeling this way. She felt nervous on some level, that was true, but it was more a feeling of child-like elation. That is, she was happy to be on this path, and had actually been looking forward to any event which may have carried out in similar fashion.

He should have been finished training by now, and they were set to meet in the main lobby. She'd forgone her normal routine this morning, skipping home room altogether. Of course, she scheduled a substitute to take her place; she may have been inexperienced, but she was in no way irresponsible in her duties. Or so she perceived.

The soft _ding_ of the elevator's arrival grabbed her immediate focus, and she stepped inside the car as soon the doors provided her the clearance. After pressing the button for the lobby, she leaned herself against the wall, using the small metalic railing to provide additional support. Everything became even more silent once enclosed in that small space, and she could hear herself breathing a bit harder than she realized.

Staring at her own reflection in the dark plexiglass in front of her, she smiled at herself for being so giddy in spite of her mature reputation and disposition. Pushing a lock of hair passed her right ear, she held her hand on her neck for a few seconds longer than normal as the contact awoke a very particular emotion within her.

If only he would touch her that way. If only he would touch her at all. Now that was a thought worth at least a few laughs.

Upon arriving at the bottom, she stepped out of the elevator to find the main lobby somewhat occupied by both students and staff. The cavernous nature of the building made for some very interesting acoustics, and despite the distance of some people, she could hear their voices echo loudly in the structure; although, the clarity of their words had been lost in the distortion.

Continuing on her way, she reached the bottom of the steps leading up to the elevators and stood beside the large directory at the front of the lobby. The directory provided a basic layout of the Garden, pointing out all the major sections for the first floor. The second floor was all classrooms and auditoriums, plus a massive ballroom for special celebrations. The third floor was where the upper faculty had their offices, including the Headmaster of Balamb Garden.

Of all the students standing around, she could not see the one she'd made a point to the day before. She'd told him to be there at 0800 hours, sharp. He agreed to be there after his training, but perhaps his session dragged on a bit longer than he'd anticipated.

With a modest yawn and subsequent sigh, she leaned her back against the side post of the massive display board. Crossing her arms over her chest, she began tapping the toe of her foot on the hard tile flooring. He was late, and that was not good. He'd put this off for too long, it was either today, or next year. Frankly, she wasn't going to let him fail this.

Maybe she was making it more personal than she should have.

A few minutes slipped by and he still hadn't showed. She glanced at her watch, but she already knew what time it was. If he didn't get there soon, she'd be forced to forgo her afternoon schedule as well, and that was another thing she couldn't let happen. At this point, however, he was certainly going to get one of her lectures. That was a given.

Some activity caught her attention by the entrance as students rushed to the sides. It was almost instantaneous after she glanced over that she saw what had caused the commotion, and a sick feeling churned her stomach.

"Move, everyone back away! Give us some clearance! Move, move!" It was the resident doctor here at the academy. She rushed into the building leading a small team of med students carrying stretchers in front of them. "This is an emergency, please keep back!" she shouted.

It couldn't have been them, but there they were; lying helpless on their backs, their faces covered in blood. What the hell happened out there!

She pushed herself away from the directory and ran to the two students as they passed by on the way to the infirmary. "Squall! Seifer! What happened!"

The doctor grabbed her by the shoulders and held the panicked instructor back. "Quistis! Relax! It isn't as bad as it looks!"

_Not as bad as it looks!_ Was she serious! They were covered in blood, and by the _looks_ of things, they weren't moving or even conscious! "What happened! They were supposed to be training! What in Hyne's name happened to them!"

The doctor took a deep breath and continued to hold her back as the two students were wheeled farther down the hall. "I don't know. I don't know who struck first, all I know for sure is that they were definitely fighting. More than just training, it looks like they tried to..." She turned her head towards the two injured cadets just as they turned the corner leading to the infirmary.

Quistis waited for the words, waited for the explanation, but the doctor never continued. "Tried to what? Tried to what! Kill each other!" She didn't believe it, even as she said it. Her expression was one of pure denial and anger, but somewhere in the back of her mind, she knew it was something close to that instinctive assumption.

The doctor released her grip on the young instructor, and stood facing her, though her head was aimed at the floor. She went to rub her face, but noticed there was too much blood on her hands. Unintentionally, she had transferred some of that blood onto Quistis's uniform. "Quistis, honestly... I don't know what they were doing all the way out there. But I promise you, they'll both pull through. I'm serious when I say it isn't as bad as it looks, ok? Trust me. It's simply a matter of getting their blood pressure back up. They'll be all right."

Trust her? Maybe she had to, what other choice did she have? "Dr. Kadowaki, just tell me. What did they do to each other?"

The electronic door slid shut and he reached his hand out as if something important remained on the other side. Something he just had to get back, he couldn't leave it.

By now, he'd remembered what happened, though the drugs in his system seemed to work against him in his struggle to "wake up."

Now he was being lifted and transferred to a small, but comfortable bed with a ton of medical equipment nearby which filled the room. Turning his head left, he noticed a small table with a glass vase. Sitting in that vase was a solitary white carnation. Was that for him?

"St... Stop it..." He pleaded more as the people around him tore off his leather jacket and cut his shirt up the middle. Seeing the surgical scissors near his chin, he tried to grab the wrist that was holding them, but somehow missed and hit the man's forearm with his own. His depth perception was out the window, and he couldn't for the life of him understand why.

"Get... away from me. Leave me... alone already!" He found enough strength to sit up, but met fierce resistance as two others forced him back down. Then a familiar face walked into the room, holding something thin and long in her hand.

"Squall," the doctor began. "Just relax. When you wake up, everything will be all right, I promise."

No. No, he couldn't relax. What was she sticking into his arm! More pressure... It engulfed his head, tunneled his vision even more. Where was he going? What were they doing to him? Maybe he'd close his eyes for a second. But just a second! He needed to go back and get something... The darkness was so soothing though. Maybe he'd stay there... for just a little while longer.

Quistis waited in the office area of the infirmary, looking on as the two cadets were sedated in separate rooms. How could this have happened? Why, so close to their graduation? If there was any hope that they'd recover enough by late afternoon, would they still be up to taking their field exam? What a ridiculous thought. She couldn't expect that, or even ask as much.

But they were both strong, and she knew that. Of course they were going to pull through, that was no longer in question. Each had sustained massive blood loss due to the injuries on their faces, and as serious as it was, it wasn't nearly as bad as some other possible outcomes. With the academy's competent medical staff, and their experience in para-magic, she had a feeling they'd both be on their feet again in no time.

It was simply a matter of letting them find the strength within to continue.

* * *

A single second had somehow turned into an eternity. Paradoxically however, that eternity seemed to be over in just shy of an instant.

He'd found a peace unlike anything he could have possibly described; he was amidst a void of absolutely everything. Now that was true peace.

The bliss was soon tainted however; for his life rarely, if ever, granted him any time or reason to relish. Slowly filling the void was the distinct aroma of perfume, some kind of floral fragrance he couldn't identify, though it carried with it the slightest hint of vanilla. Washing over him was an orange hue, and though it brought warmth to his body and soothed his nerves, it stirred a feeling of frustration within him.

Why couldn't he just be left alone?

His awareness sank in, now fully conscious of his situation. That damn pressure inside his head had him wishing to Hyne that he never woke up; never left that void. What was it again, that tightness around his eyes and forehead? Right. How could he have forgotten.

Songs of birds were carried on the breeze coming from the open window behind him, along with a much more potent fragrance than that of perfume. It was the smell of spring and fresh mountain air which, for most people, meant a time for joy and youthful activities, a prelude to the future. But not him. This time of year meant only more of the same.

Ignoring for a moment that almost repulsive scent, he reached up to scratch an itch, but instead found there were cotton bandages in his way, wrapped tightly around his head. Ever reluctant to leave the safe realm behind his eye lids, he let the light creep in slowly as only his right eye could be opened. Those damned bandages prevented the opening of his left.

A long sigh clearly conveyed the sorrow he would normally go to great lengths to conceal. Flashbacks reminded him of why those bandages were there, and he didn't deny to himself the severity of the injury he'd incurred earlier that morning. Although superficial to most, to him it was a wound that penetrated much deeper than the flesh, straight into his core; his soul.

Of course, more disturbances came as he tried to dwell on the aforementioned incident. He didn't even have to look, he knew immediately when he heard the steps, the resident doctor was on her way in.

She'd stopped outside his door to converse briefly with a student who'd been waiting in her office. The words weren't carried over with enough volume for him to listen in, but even had he been able to hear them, he wouldn't have paid the slightest attention.

Finally, the door slid open as the proximity sensors built into the ceiling sensed her intentions of entering the recovery room. As the doctor passed through the doorway, she brought with her the scent of oranges. How strange, he initially thought. The reason was soon clear; she'd been snacking on one of those citrus flavored fruits, one small slice still at her finger tips just waiting to be eaten. Something seemed rather out of place; her eating in the infirmary and all. Weren't there rules against that?

"Awake now," she said vibrantly. "How are you feeling?"

He'd already closed his eyes again, but no amount of wishing or effort on his part was going to bring him back to that place any time soon. He felt his pillow move slightly and instinctively swung his hand up to put a stop to the unwanted disturbance. In the act of doing so, he unintentionally swatted the doctor's hand, the forbidden contact forcing him to open his eyes again; or rather, his eye.

She stepped back with a wide grin and popped that last orange slice into her mouth. "Sorry, didn't mean to compromise your surroundings." It was a sardonic remark, one that only her current patient would find meaning in, as it was conceived exclusively for him.

Again, he sighed, though it was much more brief and full of contempt this time.

He sat up and rubbed his forehead; it was beginning to hurt now. He couldn't remember receiving treatment, or even being brought back to Garden at all. The doctor must have sedated him before performing the necessary duties of patching him up. In fact, if she hadn't, he'd have left the wound the way it was; open and gushing.

The doctor swallowed her snack and picked up the chart at the foot of his bed. "You were out for a few hours. You should be fine though Squall, just take it easy for a while."

He grunted as he tried to pry the bandages from his face. "I don't need these," he said sharply, ending in strain. The pain, of course, had him eating his words.

"Don't mess with them, the stitches might come loose." She grabbed his wrist to pull his hand from his face, but was instantly met with a hostile shove back. "I don't get it," she said, shaking her head. She spun around and headed back to the door.

Squall turned his head to glance at the empty chair beside him. There was a small table there adorned with a small vase and a single, fake, white carnation. He suddenly remembered seeing that just before they...

The sight of it sickened him. "Whatever..." he said in curt fashion.

The doctor shook her head, promptly placing both hands on her hips. "You need to be more careful in training. You won't always be so lucky you know. It was very fortunate that you hadn't been too far away."

Lucky? Was she joking? It was anything _but_ luck that enabled him to be there at that moment. If he were_ lucky_, he wouldn't have to suffer the indignity of being told how "fortunate" he was. "Why don't you try telling that to Seifer." Yes, Seifer... The very person responsible for plunging him into this hell.

"That boy..." the doctor said softly. "He's a disaster with a conscience. Why don't you just ignore him?"

The remark was a shot straight to his ego, and for the first time since she'd walked in, Squall turned and faced her directly; an issue like that could not go unattended to. "You want me to just run away!"

Acutely aware of how much she'd just offended her patient, the doctor threw her hands up and waved with an apologetic smile. "No, no, I understand. You want to be 'cool', right?" Again, her words left with heavy sarcasm and deep implications. "Well, you should think of what price you're willing to pay for it."

Angry, but always in control, Squall turned away and rolled his eyes. She didn't understand at all, despite the overtone in her words. It went deeper than that, deeper than she could have ever guessed.

"Well, I see no reason to keep you here. I'll prescribe you some pain killers, but don't even _think_ of abusing them." After shooting him a stern glare, she placed his chart under her arm for a moment and stepped into the doorway, leaning on the frame slightly. "I suppose I'll give your instructor a call now. You know, Quistis was..." she didn't finish that thought.

He didn't reply; not even a nod. Instead, his mind was focused on something far more important; sleep.

Seeing him resting on his back, the doctor smiled and shook her head. "Don't get too comfortable."

_Impossible_, he thought to himself.

Soon after she exited the recovery room, he heard her speaking again, most likely on the phone with his instructor.

He had noticed it earlier, but the realization only just hit him as he tried to drift away. He felt a little light and the reason was obvious; he'd been changed into a hospital gown, his black pants and leather jacket nowhere to be seen. He ripped the light comforter from his body and jerked himself upright, but his clothing seemed entirely elsewhere. What the hell? Who changed his clothing, and how dare they!

He hopped off the small cot, completely unprepared for when his bare feet hit the cold linoleum tile. It took a second for him to adjust, and ignore, and as soon as he did, he began searching for his belongings.

Convinced they were not in this room, he walked to the door, ready to bust through and make a mad dash back to his dorm. However, something grabbed his attention before even making it within the door's sensor range. A voice. Someone was watching him from the adjacent hallway, standing behind a large plate glass window that dropped right down to the floor line. For some bizarre reason, the blinds in this room had been pulled all the way up. Did the doctor ever hear of a thing called privacy?

"Squall!" It was a young woman, dressed in a vibrant blue shirt and a short white skirt. She also had a lime green wrap laced around her back and draped over her forearms. Though her hair was shorter than most women, long brown strands hung in her face, a large portion styled off to one side.

There was a smile on her face accompanying an expression that Squall hardly seemed to comprehend. She was almost laughing as she watched him, but there was something in her eyes that said more... She recognized him, that was clear, but there was just something else...

"Where are you going like that!" she asked with a small chuckle.

He turned his whole body to face the stranger, perplexed at how she could possibly know his name. Even more so, he was stunned that anyone was there at all. Had she just walked in from being outside in the courtyard? His mind entered a state of perpetual confusion, and he found himself staring back at her with a rather rude expression as his thoughts ran in circles.

"Well, it's good to see you again." She realized he probably had no idea who she was. He had to have forgotten about her by now, it was so long ago...

She raised her hand to her cheek as her expression changed without warning. She then reached over to the window, placing her hand on the glass; her fingers were slender, but so perfectly flawless. Her eyes were now laden with sorrow, a sight that Squall could recognize with ease. "I'm sorry," she said, her words just barely making it through. "I hope you can forgive me."

Before he even had time to absorb her words, she continued on her way, leaving him staring into an empty hallway. Who was she? What did she mean?

Suddenly, the door behind him slid open and the doctor took a step into the room. "Glad you could muster the energy to get out of bed. Here."

A duffle bag landed beside him, his back still facing the doctor. Was that...?

"You're pants and a new shirt, dear," she said, as if reading his thoughts. "Get changed, Quistis is on her way down to escort you back to class."

He leaned over and grabbed the handles of the bag. Something else of his was missing however, and he highly doubted he'd find it in that tiny black sack. God forbid they left it on that mountain trail. "My gunblade?"

The doctor folded her arms. "Back in your dorm. And don't worry, I know what you're thinking."

_Yeah, right._ He crooked his head just enough to see her white lab coat in the corner of his eye.

"I brought it up there myself and even placed it gently inside its case. I of course cleaned it for you too." She stood in silence for a second hoping to receive some kind of thank you. Of course, she knew it wasn't coming. "Right, you're welcome."

The door slid back shut, finally. God, how he hated everyone's need for such inconsequential remarks as _thank you_. It was a load of crap, he didn't appreciate at all what she'd done. It would have been best if she'd just left his gunblade alone, blood or no blood. It was his, and it was his everything. How could she violate that?

* * *

Seeing as how she'd already scheduled her morning to take Squall on a very specific field trip, she used the now free time to relax and think things over. Though, she would have to resume class next period. It hardly seemed worth it, just one class. She'd much rather have stayed where she was and dwell for just another hour.

The doctor had just called her, telling her Squall was finally awake. Even better, he was coherent and pretty much back to his normal self. It seemed, as the doctor had assured her earlier, he was going to be just fine.

Seifer had been released a couple hours before, in much better shape than Squall. His spirits were bizarrely high, and she couldn't help but sense he was somehow happy over the incident.

She rose from the soft leather sofa in the teacher's lounge and slowly walked to the door, placing her cup of coffee down next to the pot. A grin formed on her face, despite her every effort to keep it in. She was just so happy that he was all right. Although, he still had to survive the lecture she was going to give him later on.

As she grabbed the handle on the door, she stopped herself from turning it all the way. The way the late morning sun shone through the closed blinds on the windows made it feel as though it were still dawn. In reality, today had been among the longest days in her eighteen years of life, and it was barely noon.

Regardless of whether or not Squall and Seifer were going to participate in the field exam later that evening, it was something she simply couldn't miss. She was not just an instructor at this academy, but had already graduated into the elite mercenary force this school had created. She was a SeeD of Balamb Garden Military Academy, and her duties came first and foremost.

Remembering that, she finished turning the handle. Right now, her duty was to get Squall and make sure he passed his prerequisite to the exam. If he could manage it, that is...

Pulling the door open seemed to come much easier than normal, and before she could figure out why, another person had bumped into her.

"Oh, excuse me my dear."

"Headmaster?" Quistis stepped back to let him enter. "What are you doing here?" She would've sounded a bit more formal, had she not been caught so off guard.

He entered the small lounge and closed the door behind him. "Why, I was looking for you as a matter of fact."

Looking for her? Was this about Squall and Seifer? Of course, it had to be. She'd been the one who paired them up at the beginning of the semester, even though she knew they always got carried away with each other. But she never thought in a million years it would ever go this far. Even so, it was her fault, and she was going to have to face the consequences for her decisions. "Sir, I apologize for what happened this morning." She hung her head in shame as she continued. "It's my fault, I should have known those two..."

The Headmaster cut her off, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder. "I must agree, it was a very irresponsible thing to do, considering the knowledge of their rivalry. However..."

She looked up at him, her eyes meeting his behind those glaring lenses he wore. That didn't help ease her tension.

"The students of this Garden must be held responsible for their own actions as well. Whatever had led them up to this incident, in the end, it was still their actions that put them where they are now. Frankly, it was going to happen sooner or later." He removed his hand and paced over to the coffee pot, lifting a fresh paper cup from the stack on the counter. "Ah, you instructors always hoard the good stuff." He poured himself a cup and immediately took a sip, his expression conveying in no subtle amounts how perfectly blissful it was. Interestingly, he didn't seem upset with her at all. "Infinitely better than that _liquid tar_ the faculty forces upon me." He winked at the nervous instructor and offered her a sip.

"Oh, uh, no thank you sir. I already poured myself a cup not but a minute ago."

He shrugged his shoulders and took another delightful sip.

Quistis was becoming more nervous with every passing second, and her body language did nothing to hide that fact. "Um, sir? Is there anything more you wish to speak to me about?"

He took a deep breath, then finally relinquished his heavenly coffee back to the counter top. "Quistis..." he said, clapping his hands together softly. "Make sure Mr. Leonhart finishes his prerequisite. It would be a real shame if he couldn't participate in the exam." He raised an eyebrow to her with a small smirk escaping his lips.

She smiled, almost laughed at the relief she felt, but quickly saluted her superior as any SeeD would have done after receiving such an order. "Yes sir, I'm on my way to get him now."

The Headmaster nodded and once again sipped that perfection in a cup. "Now _this_... is coffee."

* * *

"Quistis!" the doctor exclaimed while rising to her feet. "How are you doing?"

The young instructor smiled and reached over to accept an offered handshake. "Good afternoon again Ms. Kadowaki. Thank you so much for what you've done."

All the tension and worry surrounding the cadets' "accident" this morning was finally over, as both were perfectly fine. Well, save for one "tiny" wound on each of their faces.

The doctor shrugged her shoulders and returned to her seat. "Well, I have to admit, if it weren't my sole responsibility here as a doctor..." She raised an eyebrow as to implicate the rest of her unspoken thoughts.

Quistis nodded when she'd received them. "I know. But then think about how badly you'd feel afterwards. I don't believe you have a mean bone in your body."

The doctor laughed at her comments, knowing how true they were. "Yes, probably so, ha ha... Anyhow, he's in there getting dressed. I'd knock before entering if I were you."

Quistis raised her own eyebrow. "Well, perhaps, but if it weren't my sole responsibility to do so as his instructor..."

Both eyes went wide once the doctor inferred the rest of _that_ thought. "Oh dear, that just won't do. I have to pretend I didn't hear that!"

Quistis laughed briefly. She was only one year older than Squall was, it wasn't at all unnatural that she had a crush on him. Yes, she admitted it, if only to herself; she had an interest in him that went far beyond the normal teacher-student relationship. But again, they were practically the same age. Just last year they were classmates, so why should her feelings have to change simply because she landed a teaching position and had become his instructor? She was still a human being, and a teenager at that.

There wasn't a god in heaven nor a soul on Earth that could tell her how to feel.

She stepped up to the door, forgetting already that she should have announced herself first. It was too late, however, the sensors activated and the door slid open.

Squall turned around with his hand still on the zipper, and simply stared his instructor in the eyes. _I guess privacy is a lost concept here_, he thought to himself. She didn't catch him off guard, just half naked.

"Oops!" Quistis quickly spun around to face her back to him, rushing her hands to cover her embarrassed expression. "Sorry!" Although, she couldn't help but try to sneak a peek. She noticed the doctor nearly fall out of her chair in laughter and shot her an evil look.

Squall finally pulled his shirt over his torso and sat on the bed to tie his boots. He didn't say anything, as any words that left his mouth at that moment would have been somewhat less than friendly. Then again, he probably wouldn't have been able to think of anything anyway. Instead, he quietly looped his laces into knots, and let his instructor agonize over her mistake.

"Well," she said, bringing her hands down to her flexing chest. "I see that you two managed to poke each other's eyes out." She slowly, _cautiously_, turned back around. "Or came very close to it..." She frowned and shook her head. The image sank in, and all sense of embarrassment or giddy emotion vanished with the realization of how serious his injury was. Seeing it before was somehow different. Now, with the bandages, it had become more real.

"Squall..." Her sudden change in tone had him look up at her, but only for an instant. She moved her hand to cover her mouth as she tried to imagine what lied beneath the wrappings of white cotton. "...Are you all right?"

"I'm fine," he said without hesitation.

_Look at you_, Quistis thought. How could anyone say they were fine in his condition? She sighed and let it be known that she wasn't exactly thrilled about his little accident. "Squall, I can't believe you two. You do remember that the field exam is today, don't you?"

He finished the last knot. "I'll be all right."

She nodded. "Yeah, of course you will." After taking a short pause to purge the thought out of her mind, she turned around and walked back into the doctor's office. "Let's go. You missed the first three periods. You only have one class left today, I don't want you to miss that too."

Squall fastened the silver chain around his neck which contained a large pendant in the shape of a lion's head. That was his most cherished possession, even more than his gunblade. He wore it everywhere, only taking it off to sleep at night. If he ever lost it, well... The end of the world couldn't come too soon after that.

He followed his instructor into the main office of the infirmary where the doctor tossed him a bottle of pills.

"Squall, take two of those every six to eight hours. Also, don't even try to take those bandages off, I've scheduled you an appointment to come see me later next week. I'm serious mister, believe me... You don't want that getting infected."

He pocketed the bottle of pills and proceeded to walk out the door, uttering sharply, whatever, under his breath.

"Thanks again doctor," Quistis said politely as she waved on her way out.

Dr. Kadowaki smirked as she sat back down. She knew already that he was going to tear those bandages off the first opportunity he got. "That boy... Even more stubborn than Seifer."

She followed him a few steps behind, her attention focused solely on him. He seemed so rigid as he walked, his posture just about perfect. His exposing tank-top revealed a muscular frame, and Quistis couldn't help but admire how fit he was. He was certainly an attractive guy, even with the occasional battle scar apparent on his arms.

His hair was brown in color and styled in a wavy, almost unruly manner. He sometimes went a couple days without shaving, as was noticeable today, and the extra stubble made him look more gruff; which only added to Quistis's physical attraction.

Yet, there was so much more. Everything she knew about him was either inferred, or had come second hand somehow. Squall was extremely introverted and never opened up to anyone. Try as he did to conceal his emotions, there was always something in his behavior that betrayed his intentions though. Quistis had come increasingly skilled at reading the young cadet over the years, and she knew that deep inside of him was a soul trapped in torment. He'd constructed a wall so sturdy, and so damn thick, not even he could begin to tear it down. She hoped, against better reason, that she'd someday be the one to break his defenses.

A slight breeze whisked through the open structure of the corridor. Squall turned his head to the right as he heard the bells atop the Garden begin to sound. It was passed noon now. He _had_ been out for a while.

Students began pouring out of classrooms and flooding the halls. The corridor Squall and Quistis were in was no exception, as it also fed straight into two large courtyards where many students often went to study.

Squall stopped for a moment as the crowd grew to a point that had him wishing he'd been carrying his gunblade. Trying desperately to ignore the stares, he marched on, Quistis right behind him. Not once did he look back at her amid the chaos.

She smirked as she began to realize how uncomfortable he was becoming. She imagined she would be too, but despite Squall's outward appearance through it all, he was in even more anguish than she could comprehend.

Part of her wanted to ask him about it, but she knew it would have been a futile effort. Still, she felt a need to get him talking. She wanted to know more about him, and it was so important that she learned it directly from the source. But how should she even begin? "So, Squall..." Perhaps just starting simple was the best way to go. "What's on your mind?"

He didn't react in any physical way that she could see, but he definitely heard her. A few seconds passed, and he still hadn't responded.

She smiled wider, and quickened her pace. "So tell me. What are you thinking about?" Now, for sure, he would respond. At least, if for nothing else, to tell her to leave him alone. In fact, she already knew exactly what he was going to say.

Squall continued to walk at his regular pace, eye trained forward. What did she care what he was thinking about?

"Nothing..." They had both uttered the word in unison, causing Quistis to break into a brief moment of laughter.

Hearing his instructor take a pause for humor's sake, he stopped walking as well and turned around to see what was so amusing. Placing his hand on his hip, he frowned and looked the blonde woman in the eyes. "Something funny?"

She composed herself and waved off the short bout of laughter. Removing her glasses, she began to rub the bridge of her nose. "No, no... Don't miss understand." She wiped the lenses with a small cloth tissue she carried in the pocket of her blouse and then returned them to their original position on her face. Smiling, she stared back at the cadet with half squinted eyes. "I just feel happy. I think I'm beginning to understand my student a little better."

_Oh Hyne_, he thought. Was she kidding? She had to be joking. "I'm more complex than you think," he told her in a flat, emotionless tone. As soon as the words left his mouth however, he wished he could take them back.

"So then tell me," the infatuated instructor almost pleaded. She folded her arms over her stomach and took a step closer to him, inadvertently forcing him to take a more defensive posture; he spun back around and turned his head off to the side. "What are you so afraid of?" She found herself almost frightened after that question had slipped out. Quickly, she followed up with something far less probing and intimate. "I mean, why don't you tell me more about yourself? I... You're just so distant all the time, I'm curious as to why, that's all."

He sighed heavily and started to walk again. Why was she doing this to him? Why couldn't she just leave him alone? "Because my life is..."

She cut him off, knowing already how that sentence ended. "'...none of your business!'" She started to laugh again as she simply couldn't help herself. He was so predictable.

Squall froze and drew a deep breath, summoning all the strength he could muster to keep himself from lashing out at her. No, Squall Leonhart never acted out on his emotions. Along with a flavor of stale saliva, he swallowed his anger and remained calm.

Quistis knew she'd poked a little too hard, but it was through such prodding and probing that she learned more about him. Satisfied for now, she started to walk ahead of him. As she passed by, she brushed her hand over his essentially bare shoulder and winked when their eyes met. "All right, let's hurry. We're going to be late."

The halls began to quiet down a few minutes later as classes returned to session. Squall's thoughts took him back to that incident in training earlier. He was engaged in a fierce battle with another student, a young man who always seemed to get the better of him.

They settled on a spot a little ways up the mountains, about thirty minutes walking distance from the academy. There, in a clearing amongst boulders and dirt paths, they initiated a training match, each with a gunblade as their primary weapon of choice.

As the battle progressed, it got more and more heated, until it had reached a point that was undeniably beyond simple practice. Each had begun to strike harder, and faster, neither really considering the outcome if one was to falter in their actions. Or perhaps they were...

Squall's partner was not one to pull his punches in a fight however. And yes, that was exactly what it had become. Emotions took over, and their focus shifted towards darker goals. Unfortunately, Squall was hit first. Struck by a sneak attack, he staggered backwards until he lost his balance and fell. There, while still on the ground, he froze in horror as his partner's gunblade came down on him, slicing open his face.

While waiting for the elevator to descend, Squall stood at the other side of the steps to keep his distance from Quistis. As he kept his un-blocked eye trained on the tan colored tile, he reached up to feel his bandages. Seifer's blade struck him almost directly above his right eye. From there, the hot tip carved a path that led down over the bridge of his nose, then finally lifted just below his left eye socket. The instant of the strike embedded itself forever in his memory; he could remember that split second as if it had taken eons to pass.

If not for the pure adrenaline in his system, he might have lost himself and given in to the pain. Instead, he used the agony to fuel his rage and give him the strength to strike back. Grabbing his gunblade, he dragged the tip along the rocky ground, throwing sparks to the wind, and then just when his partner realized it was coming, he swung the blade upwards, striking him in exactly the same area of the face.

An eye for an eye. It was all a blur after that.

Quistis let Squall enter the classroom first. He immediately went straight to his seat, not bothering to acknowledge _his_ presence in the row beside him. Seifer.

Of course, Seifer gave him a long stare as he sat at his study panel. He smirked at the sight of those bandages. "You look like you've been run over by a truck." He was also referring to the many scars that littered his upper arms.

Squall didn't flinch.

"All right class, everyone settle down," Quistis said as she walked to her desk. Most of the students couldn't help but stare at both Seifer and Squall, the former giving rather rude gestures in response.

"Yes, those rumors were true," the instructor added to satisfy their curiosity. "Two students were injured in training this morning, but as you can see, they're both going to be just fine."

A younger cadet in the first row had his sights fixed on the two cadets in the back. "Looks to me like they were trying to kill each other." A few students chuckled in agreement, incurring a rather hostile comeback from Seifer.

"Shut it, squirt. Trust me, you don't want the committee coming down on your ass when I'm in a mood like today."

The cadet widened his eyes. "Oooo, I feel so threatened."

Before Seifer could have gotten up, and believe it, he _would_ have gotten up, Quistis silenced them both. "Knock it off! The next person to talk will be thrown out, is that understood!"

The majority of the class nodded in unison, with the exception of Seifer and the younger cadet. Squall hadn't been paying any attention at all; he felt slightly depressed as he stared into the blank monitor in front of him. He was cold; he wanted to run. Too much was weighing on him lately, yet he could barely do anything to alleviate it.

Quistis made a particular note to the injured cadets. "And Seifer, do not injure your partner in training. You're walking a very thin line right now, the administration is not happy about this morning. If you ever pull something like that again, you can forget about ever becoming a SeeD, is that clear?" She was assuming he struck first, but it was a rather safe assumption. He was usually the instigator in such events.

Seifer turned and looked at his partner, whose eyes were still unwavering. He slammed his fist down on his desk and shouted back to his instructor. "Sorry, but I've already heard that once today."

After eyeing him for a moment, Quistis grabbed a stack of papers on her desk. "Now then... Good afternoon class." She stood up from her chair and began passing the stacks to the students in the front rows to distribute the sheets of paper back. "I've finished grading your literature tests from yesterday, and I'm disappointed with some of the results. I expected more, considering graduation is so near for most of you. I know most of you find this subject to be boring," a look went out to a particular student in the back, "but it's an important part of history."

Seifer grabbed his test sheet from the student in front of him. Stamped directly on the face of it was a big red _F_. He grinned and crumpled it into a small ball. "Not really my forte," he said under his breath.

Squall reluctantly took his. Not to his surprise, he saw a capital red A underneath his name. The grade did not make him feel any better for some reason.

"Would you look at that," Seifer said, leaning over into the isle. "Look's like _teacher_ plays _favorites_. An A, excellent job there Squall buddy. Tell me. What did you have to do?" The implication was sick.

It was only because of his unrelenting behavior that Squall found it necessary to turn and face him. He was instantly shocked however, when he saw that Seifer had not been wearing any bandages. The wound on his face was stitched up nicely, though the edges were swollen and purple. Is that what his looked like underneath the white cotton?

"What's the matter?" Seifer stared back at him with his trademark grin.

"Seifer!" Quistis shouted. "Get up!"

He lowered his head and sighed as he reluctantly rose to his feet. "What now?"

"Just because you passed the written test for the SeeD exam doesn't mean you can slack off in the rest of your studies. Let me remind you just how thin the ice is on which you tread."

He diverted his eyes to the wall with a long sigh.

"You're dismissed from this class. Don't even think about leaving the Garden premisses, I believe the Headmaster would like to have a word with you before the field exam."

Grabbing the white trench coat on his seat, Seifer kicked the base of the terminal. He made his way to the front of the class in an unmannerly fashion, dishing out nasty looks to anyone who dared make eye contact. Passing his instructor's desk, he grinned wider, but said nothing on his way out the door.

With a major disruption gone, Quistis found it easier to move on. She lifted her glasses for a moment to rub her eyes, then took a deep breath. "Finally," she said softly, returning to her seat. "Now then. As you are all aware, the SeeD field exam is today. Garden has been contracted by the Dollet Dukedom and SeeD will be dispatched to the front lines shortly. For those of you participating in this exam, you will have the rest of the day free until assemblage is called later this afternoon."

A couple students immediately shot to their feet, ready to fly out the door.

"Hold it," Quistis said. "Wait until you're dismissed, please." She flipped open a binder on her desk which contained a list of names for those who'd passed the written part of the exam. Proudly, Squall's name was right at the top; Seifer's was right below it. "For those of you who failed that test, or aren't enrolled in SeeD training, you will resume classes as normal. I'll be leaving with the cadets in a moment, so a substitute will be in shortly."

She stood up to address the class. "When I call your name, you may be dismissed. Don't forget to meet up in the lobby at 1600 hours. The Headmaster will be there to give a final statement, and the other instructors and I will make team assignments. Be sure to keep yourselves in top condition." She couldn't help but give a stare to Squall, shocked that he and Seifer would still be participating. Then again, maybe it wasn't all that surprising.

"Nida Tidesky," she began reading aloud. "Raelin Kail, and Squall Leonhart, you three are dismissed. I will see you shortly." There were two names on the list she did not read; Seifer Almasy, for obvious reasons, and one Selphie Tilmitt, who hadn't showed up for class yet.

Two of the three named students rose and filed out of the class room, strutting as they went. Squall simply remained at his seat lost in a world of solitude.

"Squall Leonhart?" Quistis asked, seeing him there with that glum look. "Can you come up front please, I need to discuss something important with you."

He lifted his head, and finally got on his feet. His instructor moved to the corner by the door where she could speak to him a little more privately.

"Yes?" he asked in his usual unenthusiastic tone.

"You haven't yet acquired a Guardian Force in the field."

He shifted his weight to his left leg and placed his hand on his hip. _"Shit, I was supposed to go with you this morning, but Seifer..."_

The young instructor tilted her head to better read his expression. "Well. Perhaps you shouldn't have put it off for so long."

He looked her in the eyes and shrugged his shoulders. "Whatever."

In truth, he didn't have any good excuse, he was given the assignment over a month ago. He really shouldn't have put it off until exam day.

"Well, this is a problem. You see, it's a prerequisite I'm afraid. If you don't find and battle a GF, then you won't be able to participate in the SeeD exam."

He clenched his teeth, but had nothing to say. She was repeating herself, he knew this already. _"Just get to the point."_

"Don't worry," Quistis assured him almost in a whisper. "I've got your back." She pulled out a small piece of paper from her blouse pocket and handed it to her student. "I was supposed to take care of some preparations with the other instructors, but it looks like I'll have a couple hours free. There's a Guardian Force residing in the mountains. There's a cave there called the Fire Caverns. I haven't been inside personally, but I heard rumors the GF is quite powerful."

Squall unfolded the sheet of paper. It contained directions to the caverns. He didn't need them though, this was exactly where he had planned on going this morning. In reality, the directions were for her.

"Hmm? Is something wrong?"

He shook his head.

"Good. Why don't you meet me downstairs in the lobby in about fifteen minutes. I'll go see what's holding up the substitute for this class."

He still didn't understand why she needed to tag along with him on this. "Instructor, I don't need an escort you know."

She smiled at him, knowing precisely what he was thinking. "I'm not going along to babysit you Squall. It's mandatory that a cadet be accompanied by a member of SeeD on this test. I'll be there as backup in case anything should go wrong."

He scoffed internally._ "A babysitter then..."_

"All right, you're dismissed. Don't forget to stop by your dorm, I think Dr. Kadowaki returned your gunblade there this morning."

No way would he forget that. Plus, he needed to grab his jacket to cover his exposed arms and torso before all this fresh air and bright lights melted his flesh off.

* * *

He left the classroom feeling bothered somehow. It was what his instructor said about her tagging along as backup. He didn't need any backup, he was one of the best in his class. Of course, he wasn't going to argue with her. Squall always did what he was told, for failing to follow orders always led to complications he didn't want to deal with.

His was a simple existence, and that was exactly how he preferred it. Unfortunately, Seifer would always find a way to disrupt his otherwise balanced system of living.

Down the hall he could hear someone yelling and making a lot of noise. Just as he was about to turn the corner for the platform leading to the elevator, someone ran straight into him. The force caused him to stagger back, but the girl who'd initiated the contact bounced back so hard, she fell flat on her ass with a loud thud and grunt.

"Oww!" she screamed.

Squall stood in front of her with a blank expression.

The teenage girl looked up at him, but didn't see any of the concern she'd hoped to receive. He didn't even ask if she was all right.

Unfazed, however, she rose to her feet and brushed herself off. "Gees, I'm so late! Sorry I ran into you like that!"

Squall raised his eyebrow, but otherwise remained expressionless and silent.

"Heeey," the spunky young woman began. "Did you just come from that classroom over there?"

He turned around to look at the door he'd just emerged from a moment ago. To answer her question, a simple nod seemed enough.

"So is class over now?"

Another simple nod.

The spunky young woman grew excited a little too prematurely. "Woo-hoo...! Oh, super bummer!"

Squall was ready to leave.

"Hey, did they give out the team assignments yet?"

"No," he finally answered with his voice, trying again to break away.

She looked relieved, and relaxed her shoulders. "Oh, good..."

Squall studied her features for a moment. She was wearing a SeeD cadet uniform, but he'd never seen her face around here before. Her hair was very light brown and styled with large banana curls. Her voice was high pitched for a girl her age, and was the kind of voice that got real annoying real fast. Unfortunately for him, she didn't seem to realize how piercing her own tone was, and continued to talk his ears off.

"So hey, I just transferred here yesterday. This Garden is sooo much bigger than Trabia Garden! The Headmaster gave me a tour already, but I keep getting lost! I keep winding up in all the wrong classes!" She started to laugh at her own foolishness considering she did have a map to go along with her class schedule.

She sounded so full of energy and spunk, that it made Squall nauseous while listening to her. He didn't give a crap about any of her misadventures as a new student in Balamb, why the hell was she talking to him? Hyne, he'd rather have his nose hairs plucked!

"Heeey, do you think you could give me another tour of the place? Pleeease!"

He wanted to shout. He wished so hard that Lionheart, his prized gunblade, was at his side right then.

Sensing his desire to break away, the girl stopped talking about herself and focused on something she found somewhat curious. "Wow, what happened to you?" She was of course referring to his bandages.

Squall looked her dead in the eyes, the sudden connection almost scaring the young cadet into a corner. Suddenly he didn't look like the friendly type anymore, if he even did to begin with. "I'm busy," he said rudely before finally storming away.

"Booyaka!" the girl shouted out.

Squall froze, his back facing her. What the hell did she just say?

He finally reached the elevator, relieved that the Trabian girl would not be joining him on the ride down. The elevator was much too small for the two of them, even if it could physically fit close to ten people. He didn't even want to think about it. As he waited for the doors to open, he watched that girl stop his instructor on the way out of the classroom. They had engaged a conversation, and was just happy that he wasn't a part of it.

The dormitories were all the way at the back end of Garden. The academy was very unique and not at all like conventional buildings. The entire structure took on a dome like design, with two floors above the ground level. The ground floor was the largest, as the circumference of the dome structure was widest at the base.

There was a rumor that all the three Gardens were built in abandoned military shelters, and that there were a lot of hidden corridors and secret passages deep below the surface. This bunker had been renovated into an academy shortly after the last Sorceress War ended, and was now home to an elite mercenary force called SeeD. SeeD was the brainchild of one man; the Headmaster of Balamb Garden, Cid Kramer.

Squall had been training to become a SeeD ever since he was a child. It was what he lived for now, and nothing else mattered in his life. Nothing.

True to her word, Squall discovered the doctor had placed his gunblade in its case, and cleaned it, returning it to its brilliant metallic luster. Remembering how he felt about her touching it, and how he wished her to leave it alone, he suddenly felt relieved that she hadn't. His jacket was placed on his bed, and he quickly threw it on, also relieved to find that there was no visible stains of blood. Now he was finally feeling that some sense of normality had returned to his life. Only now, did he feel his day had truly begun.

Holding Lionheart in front of him, he practiced a few swings in the air. The sunlight reflected sharply off the razor edge and triggered images in his mind of the battle he'd fought that morning.

After Seifer struck him, he snapped. The radiant stains of blood they left behind mocked the rising sun, and Squall had a feeling so much more was going to follow.

The field exam for SeeD cadets... This was a real battle. The closest he'd ever been to actual combat before was fighting the monsters in the training center here at the academy. But those simple minded creatures and holograms were nothing compared to trained and armed military soldiers. This was a human battle he was going to fight. Was he truly prepared?

Of course he was. This was what he'd been training so hard for his whole life, he knew this day would come; yearned for it even. Now that it finally had, nothing could make him back down from such a huge opportunity.

Returning his thoughts to the wound on his face, he realized he wasn't yet complete. Those bandages had to come off. If Seifer could manage without them, then so could he. Squall wouldn't admit it, but he always felt a need to better that guy. There was something about him that made Squall's blood boil.

Standing in the tiny bathroom, he carefully cut the bandages while staring at himself in the mirror. The pain wasn't that bad as long he didn't apply too much pressure to the stitched area. Even so, he downed a couple of those pills just in case later on the pain may decide to creep up on him.

He tossed the cotton into a waste basket and examined the patchwork. The doctor did a good job, the stitch line was nice and straight. The wound would certainly leave a scar, but that really didn't matter. Just one more among many. The only real difference was the fact that this one was in plain sight. Still, that didn't matter.

There was a knock at his door, and he heard his instructor call his name. That's right, he was supposed to meet her in the lobby; again, he'd been late. "Squall, are you in there? We need to get going, I have to be back here by 1500 to go over the assignments with the Headmaster. Hello?"

The prerequisite: obtain a Guardian Force in the field. Squall shut the light to his bathroom and closed the door behind him. There was just this one minor test he had to complete before he could join the other cadets in battle. It shouldn't take him that long, after all... his SeeD instructor would be there for "backup", right?

"Squall? Don't tell me you're taking off those bandages!"

**Author's Notes:  
**Ok, this turned out to be longer than I planned, but I promise that not all of them will be so long.

As a special note, you've probably noticed already how certain elements are going to change. I assure you though, the main plot will remain intact. My ultimate goal here is this: To bring you (as well as myself) back into the world of Final Fantasy VIII with a fresh new take, as if we were experiencing the story for the first time. I don't know about all of you, but I've played FF8 so many times, I've gone through all the possible scenarios and now there's nothing new to surprise me. Hopefully, this novelization will allow us all to re-experience this magnificent story.

To those who've never played FF8 (are you actually reading this?) I urge you to stick with this, only because it's such a great story with modernistic concepts that I believe most of us can truly relate to. I only hope that my retelling does some kind of justice here, rather than completely disgrace the title!

Thank you to everyone who takes the time to read my work!  
Let me know what you think, ok?  
Liminal Raz


	2. A Minor Test

**DISCLAIMER:**

_Final Fantasy VIII,_ and every other _Final Fantasy _title, are the sole property of Square-Enix, that RPG giant. Because of the series' phenomenal popularity, (and due to legal issues) I hereby disclaim ownership of anything _Final Fantasy _related, including chocobos, gunblades, people named Kazushige Nojima, and any other unmentioned properties. (Ok, Square doesn't _own_ Nojima-san, but you know... Intellectual property rights and all... :P )

**Chapter II**

There was little exchange of words as the two walked across the main lot on their way to the front gates. In all reality, Quistis had been the only one to speak. She had a car parked out front, and told her student that she'd be the one driving. It was a Garden vehicle of course, not her own. In fact, she didn't own a car, seeing as how she lived at the academy and had such privilege as an instructor to take the Garden cars for personal use.

She had changed her clothing into something more casual. Now sporting a bright orange sweatshirt-like vest, and a matching orange dress, she looked more her true age. Her arms had fishnet stockings that went as far up as her biceps while her hands wore thin black leather gloves. They were in much better condition than Squall's were.

Around her waist was a thick belt with a harness at her hip that held a long chain whip with a deadly sickle attached to the end of it. The whip was her favorite weapon, and as a SeeD, it was her weapon of choice. The small sickle attachment was interchangeable with other deadly devices which ranged from small spears and blades, to mace-like iron spheres. Anyone on the business end of a whip like that was sure to have a bad day.

Squall also noticed his instructor had removed her glasses, replacing them with contacts. Her long blonde hair was also pinned up in a flip style at the back, some unruly strands hanging loosely at the back of neck. She looked much younger the way she was dressed now, and it reminded him that they were both classmates just a short while ago. It was definitely an odd feeling, but one he didn't attempt to analyze too much.

Before they left, Quistis asked him for a small favor. "Squall, do you have a Guardian Force junctioned?"

"Of course," he replied, not offering any further details.

She needed to know, and so she asked, "Might I ask who?"

He gave her a look that told her to back away, but after seeing her stand her ground, he gave in to the question. Tilting his head just slightly, he listened for the voices in the back of his mind that confirmed their presence. "Shiva and Quezacotl. Why do you want to know?"

She smiled at him; an expression implying that she'd be asking for more. "Oh, I see." She pushed an imaginary lock of hair passed her ear and stepped a little closer to the annoyed cadet. "Well, unfortunately, I haven't been in any battles for a while so I don't have any GF's junctioned. Think I could junction one of yours for a bit?"

He frowned. First answer he thought, _no._ The Guardian Forces were selective and grew accustomed to their hosts. Giving up one of his was like forcing a puppy onto a new owner, it just didn't seem... like a healthy thing to do. But after consideration of their destination, he knew it wouldn't be any healthier for his instructor to walk into battle without one.

"Quezacotl. Shiva stays with me."

She was fine with that. Shiva was a spirit of ice, an obvious opposing element to fire. Seeing as how going to the Fire Caverns was Squall's test, it only made sense that he was the one better prepared. "All right. Hold still."

She stepped even closer to him, closing her eyes in the process. Lifting her arm, she concentrated on the energy which naturally flowed through her veins. Some called it magic, others called it spiritual energy, but anyway you looked at it, it was a force which granted those who harnessed it the ability to accomplish amazing feats. Feats such as controlling the wind, or sparking fires on whim, or in the case of Guardian Forces, summoning spirits and beasts to a physical plane where they could aid their host in battle.

The energy which enabled such ability came directly from the Guardian Forces themselves. The GF had to be accepted by a person, and would then meld with them, taking up residence within their consciousness. This enabled their hosts to acquire other various forms of energy which was produced in nature. Without the GF, only the inherent energy within a person could be harnessed, and that was just enough to keep a person alive. For the very energy that the GF's tapped into, was the same energy carried in the nerve impulses throughout the human body, or any living creature for that matter.

Squall could feel Quezacotl's reluctance to leave its nest within his psyche, but it finally gave in to Quistis's silent call. Sensing the woman's thoughts, the creature detached itself and left Squall's body in the form of light. Thin, winding tendrils of white and blue snaked through the air at lightning speed, leaping straight into Quistis' hand and chest. Immediately, she felt stronger as she heard the unmistakable cries of the spirit, which did not speak her language, settle into her mind.

With opened eyes, she took a deep breath. "Well then... Do you have any magic I can draw as well?"

**The second piece...  
**A Minor Test

The first few minutes of the ride were about as silent as a graveyard, as far as talking went. The rough terrain added plenty of clangs and thuds to fill the void however. The vehicle Quistis had chosen to drive them in was not a normal car. In fact, it was far from anything that could actually be considered part of the sedan family at all.

It was an all-terrain type vehicle, with a reinforcing roll cage in the interior, plus monster shocks that had their heads nearly going through the roof. Only their parachute style harnesses kept them safely in their seats. Watching his female instructor behind the wheel of this mechanical beast scared, no, _terrified_ the young cadet, but true to his nature, he never voiced his concerns.

Quistis glanced over a few times as she sensed his apprehension about the test. She decided to put in a CD, and yes, that thing actually had a CD player in it. Unfortunately, she had no idea what kind of music he was into, and so ended up throwing in something towards the classical side. Not that it mattered, since it could hardly be heard once they'd hit the mountain trails.

She smiled to herself. She was alone with Squall, accompanying him into a battle. The thought of that made her almost giddy again; she tried to picture how he might look wielding that gunblade at some giant Guardian Force. She wanted to break the silence between them, but she knew that if she'd brought up anything personal or tried to make small talk, he'd probably just ignore her. It seemed the scenery hogged his attention rather exclusively at the moment.

Maybe going over the details of this test would get his attention. She reached for the volume control to turn it down, Squall seemingly unfazed by the action. "So Squall. The purpose of this test is to prove that you're capable of acquiring your own GF's while out in the field, and not reliant on Garden to provide them, like they did Quezacotl and Shiva. This is a vital skill if you're going to survive out there as a SeeD." She took turns glancing at him and watching the trail. "You'll be in charge of finding it once we get there. I can only support you in battle against it, all right?" She spoke in a very instructor-ish tone, but didn't mean to. It was the words themselves and their context which made it sound that way.

"Are you listening?" she asked him, noticing he was still staring out the window. She knew she wasn't going to get a reply, so she continued. "I realize you already know this, but I'm required to ask..." She paused to see if he would at least look at her.

He finally turned his head. "What?"

She smiled. "You know how junctioning works, right?"

Of course he did, what a stupid question. "It's what we call it when a GF takes its place within our minds. Through the parasite-host relationship, the GF lends us its power, enabling us to use 'magic' and call upon them for help."

"Excellent, that's exactly right," she said proudly. She nodded for him to elaborate some more on it.

"As a parasite, the presence of the GF does leave us with some unwanted side effects. Unfortunately, the true extent of these side effects is unknown, but it is believed that our memories may be effected." The vehicle suddenly hit a rather nasty bump, sending Squall skyward. As soon as Quistis apologized, he continued. "It's believed that when we draw magic, the GF stores that energy directly within our memory by burning a new path along the synaptic cells. It leaves some people to speculate that prolonged junctioning of a GF can lead to memory loss, and possibly even complete amnesia."

Quistis was quick to follow up on that statement. "Though it's never been proven." Eyes back on the trail, she could see their destination approaching. The trail ended at a cliff face, the entrance to a large cave plainly visible. "Ah, we're here."

The drive here took them somewhere around fifteen to twenty minutes, about what Squall was expecting. They both stepped out of the vehicle simultaneously, both taking a moment to absorb their surroundings. How peaceful the wilderness was.

He and Seifer often trained in areas like this. Somehow, getting away from the academy and all the chaos helped them both concentrate. The training center was a controlled environment, and that took all the fun out of it. Sure, there were the higher levels with real monsters to battle, but even they were a part of the control; the captured monsters were often "broken" and put up less of a fight than they would in the wild.

Then there was the human factor. SeeDs were mercenaries, hired for war; ok, _sometimes_ extermination, but primarily war. Training to fight monsters was very different than another human being. Not just in terms of style and strategy, but psychologically. Garden put its cadets through various types of emotional training to help them dehumanize their enemy, and they made it a part of the curriculum to train with human partners.

Squall and Seifer focused almost exclusively on that aspect. When they trained together, neither held back. This morning's incident was a testament to that. Though Squall had never taken a human life before, he believed he would be more than capable when finally on the battlefield.

Quistis interlocked her fingers and stretched her arms high above her head. The sound of her shoulder blade cracking came as a result.

"Let's get this over with." Squall grabbed his gunblade from the rear seat and swung it a few times in practice beside the vehicle.

"Are you ready?" Following his lead, she removed her whip and cracked it just once. That snapping sound could instill fear into just about any creature. "After you."

* * *

It was lunch hour back at Garden. The cafeteria flooded with students, and the Disciplinary Committee had itself overwhelmed. Seifer and his two closest companions were "arresting" students left and right for such things as running, cutting in line, and the occasional theft of snacks from the kitchen area.

Though strictly self appointed, the Disciplinary Committee felt its presence in Garden was a necessary force. Of course, many simply saw it as Seifer getting to play the role of a bully, the only difference being that he had the backing of the administration.

A half hour of rounding up troublemakers left the trio stressed and in need of a break. Hell, they couldn't spend _all_ their time disciplining the other students and making public examples of them in the middle of the café, right? Of course not.

Standing in the line for the lunch hour buffet, Raijin suddenly remembered he didn't have any money left. "Damn, I'm outta cash, ya know?" He was a big guy for his age, very muscular; an all brawn kind of guy, especially considering he wasn't the brightest bulb in the lamp. Despite his lack in mental capacity, he knew the meaning of loyalty and honor, perhaps better than anyone else. Raijin was a good man; perhaps his only fault was being too loyal to his best friend.

The third member of the committee was a teenage girl named Fujin. She was a bit different than other girls, her blue-gray hair and black pirate-style eyepatch being among some of the obvious indications. When she spoke, it was always sweet and to the point, never wasting time on useless words.

Raijin turned his head to ask her if she'd front him some extra dough, seeing as how was a little short. "Come on, I'm starvin', ya know?"

"No." It was said with such a stern tone, any normal person might end their attempts right there for fear of being physically harmed.

Raijin was not one of those sensible persons. "Why not? You bought Seifer lunch last week ya know!"

A swift kick to the shin was her final reply.

"Ah, ow!"

Seifer cracked up. "Ha ha! Rai my man, you just don't know when to quit."

Fujin tapped him on the shoulder. "Seifer."

"Yeah?"

"Scar?"

He reached up to his forehead and gently caressed the stitches. "Bad ass, aint it? I left him one just like it. Any closer right or left, I'd be wearing an eyepatch just like yours." He didn't find anything to be concerned about regarding his recent injury. It just gave him something else to brag about really.

"So how come you never wanna tell us what happened to _you?_" Raijin turned around to face Fujin again, his tray of food growing larger despite his lack of funds to pay for any of it.

She saw the mountain of spaghetti topped with two ladle-fulls of sauce and meatballs, three slices of garlic bread, and a little chocolate chip muffin on the side. She then clenched her teeth in a rage that would have Hyne herself quivering in fear. "Jackass!" she shouted, followed by another swift kick to the shin.

"Ah, that hurts, ya know! Gonna make me drop this ya know!" Raijin placed his tray on the counter and hopped away in agony, finally accepting that he'd be going hungry today.

Again, Seifer felt his sides splitting.

Suddenly, a SeeD cadet ran into the cafeteria, huffing and wheezing as he came in. He had blonde hair styled in a way that resembled a tsunami trying to leap off of his forehead, and a tattoo of some abstract design on the left side of his face.

The exhausted cadet cut straight in front of Seifer and pushed him out of the way. "Hey!" he shouted to the kitchen staff. "Any hotdogs left?"

The cook shook his head. "Sorry, sold out. You should get here sooner!"

"Damn!" The blonde cadet slammed his fist down on the counter and cursed himself for being so late. "Every time..."

"Excuse me," Seifer said calmly.

The cadet looked up at him, not recognizing him at first; not until he noticed the other two step up beside him. "Uh oh..." He booked it.

"Hmph." Seifer folded his arms and grinned. "See that? Speeding."

Raijin made a fist and pounded it into his other hand. "Direct violation of academy regulations, ya know?"

"Fifth day in a row." Seifer put his food down. "Let's go arrest that student and teach him a lesson he won't soon forget."

Fujin smirked and watched the cadet turn the corner in the hallway. "Affirmative."

* * *

Not long after entering the cave they could begin to feel the intense heat radiating from a source deep below. The cave was narrow, but well lit due to various natural torches; fires erupting from fissures and cracks in the rock.

The Balamb region was not a volcanic one, nor was it even seismically active. Whatever force was responsible for creating such heat in this mountain had to have come directly from the Guardian Force. It became apparent rather quickly just how powerful it must have been. Both Squall and his instructor held their weapons ready, and ventured with caution.

"Oh, wait!" Quistis blurted out. "I almost forgot. Squall, before we go any further, I need to explain something to you."

He stopped walking, but kept himself vigilant of their surroundings. "What?"

"You're going to be graded on this test. The score you receive here will be directly applied to the score from your field exam."

"And what will I be graded on?" he asked her.

"I'll be grading you on conduct, technique, swiftness, and of course, whether or not you're actually able to locate the GF on your own."

Squall gripped the handle of his gunblade tighter. "No problem."

Tilting her head and smiling, his instructor stepped up beside him. "Confident as always, aren't we?"

He didn't show any reaction except to start walking again.

They reached a point where the heat had become just too intense. If they were going to go any deeper, they would need protection.

Before Quistis could offer the suggestion, her student had already stopped to call upon the GF within him. She internally praised him for not having to be told what to do; that was good sign, he definitely had what it would take to become a SeeD.

As he concentrated, Quistis noticed a chill in the air, and even her breath became visible in front of her. A dim light had formed around Squall's open hand, and before she could focus on it, a huge gust radiated outward from his body forcing her to cover her face for protection from kicked up dust and debris.

Letting her guard back down once the gust had passed, the instructor noticed the air was cool and frost had actually formed on the cave walls. The intense heat from just seconds ago was gone as that wind seemed to sweep it away. "Impressive."

Squall raised his gunblade and kept on walking. Somehow, the release of that energy left him slightly out of breath.

The path they'd been walking on narrowed even more, as the cave walls opened up into a vast chamber. The narrow path snaked through a sea of molten rock. The heat was so intense here, the surrounding rock appeared to glow with thermal radiation. The air around them remained cooler, but there was no telling for how long.

"You know," Quistis began suddenly. "The boys often choke when I take them on their tests." Her voice was cracking with humor, the levity not at all welcome in Squall's opinion. "I guess it's my charm that distracts them!" Now she was actually chuckling; as if now was the time to be laughing.

Squall froze for a moment and turned around. His eyes were deadly serious.

"I'm kidding!" his instructor shouted out. "Just trying to help you relax, that's all!"

He squinted his eyes and clenched his teeth. Now wasn't the time to be relaxed.

A loud explosion erupted from the other side of the magma chamber and the two spun around to see what had caused it. Suddenly, the whole cave began to shake with tremors that threatened to toss them over the edge and into the sea of fire.

"Run!" Squall shouted to his instructor, waving her ahead of himself. The rocky path behind them started to crumble and was swallowed up by waves of molten rock. They ran as fast as they could to reach the other side, dodging falling rocks and eruptions of hot seething magma.

As they ran, Shiva provided her protection, and anything that had come within arms length from the two was instantly frozen and then shattered by a swift strike from Squall's gunblade. However, if their unstable ground had opened up beneath their feet, there was nothing that could be done to save them.

Finally reaching the other side, they had to leap to safety, as the path was completely swallowed in front of their eyes. Landing hard and rolling onto his back, Squall grunted with pain from the strain on his forehead. He stood up and breathed heavily beside his instructor, both amazed that they had survived.

Quistis folded her arms and lowered her head, eyes closed. "That was too close," she said quietly. She was beginning to have second thoughts about coming here. "Squall..."

He didn't let her continue. "It's close. Let's keep going." He knew the dangers he'd face here, and was prepared for whatever came his way. He could sense her apprehension, but he'd come too far, and he wasn't going to back down now.

Quistis admired his courage and determination. She caught up to him and walked closely by his side, the proximity noticeably making him tense. "I guess I was right..." she said aloud.

Squall tried not to concern himself with her thoughts and didn't bother asking what it was she'd been "right" about.

She laughed briefly. "You and Seifer are in a class of your own. You both possess amazing strength and potential. And your stamina is incredible as well. I knew that you'd be able to handle these caves, Squall." She spoke with pride and admiration.

He marched forward, never looking at his instructor. "There's still the GF to face. Save your evaluation until we're back in the truck."

She nodded. How right he was.

A few more minutes passed as they walked ever deeper through the hot caverns. The tremors continued, but at least for now, there was no molten rock in their path.

They finally reached another chamber, this one lacking any exits other than the way they'd entered. It seemed like a dead end, but there was a rock formation in the center of the room that had Squall curious. This was most likely the lair of whatever supernatural beast resided in these mountains.

Fires continued to erupt from cracks in the walls, and small pebble sized rubble fell from the ceiling with every small quake. The air was thicker and full of fumes, but still manageable. Squall slowly approached the pillars of rock and discovered they'd formed like giant megaliths around a massive hole in the ground. It was pitch black inside, but he thought he heard some kind of breathing sound in the darkness. Whatever was down there sounded quite large, and perhaps quite unfriendly.

Quistis kept her distance. True, it was Squall's test, but she had to admit some amount of fear kept her back as well. Her chain whip in hand, she nodded to her student. "This is it. Get ready." She was speaking more to herself than her student.

Squall raised Lionheart and shouted into the hole. "Guardian Force! Face me!"

A loud roar echoed from the hole and the tremors increased in severity. Suddenly, a column of fire shot up from the opening forcing the cadet and his instructor to back away.

As the shaking intensified, more roars threatened to deafen them, until the beast finally broke itself free from its residence underground. Using its massive arms, it pulverized the rock formation surrounding the hole and then leapt straight for the two humans who'd dared to disturb him.

Squall pushed Quistis out of the way and rolled to avoid being crushed flat from the debris. He stood up and held his gunblade before him.

The beast was massive. Giant black horns curved around its head, with a bright red mane covering its neck and most of its back. His entire body was covered in a short dark brown fur, his massive muscular arms ending with giant black claws. Standing on two legs, this creature resembled a devil; certainly a fierce looking monster, one that would haunt children in their nightmares were they to ever see such a thing.

The creature roared again, forcing Quistis to cover her ears. "_Who dare's challenge me?"_ The creature spoke directly in their minds, its voice audible over their own thoughts. "_I am Ifrit. I was imprisoned here by a sorceress long ago. My only escape is through defeat. However... I cannot simply surrender myself to any mere mortal. I am a Master of Fire. You've come to free me from my confinement and harness my power? Then let us see if you are worthy!"_

Squall rolled again as the creature attacked him with its brute strength. He hopped to his feet, but the thing was so large, he found it near impossible to get close enough for a strike.

Ifrit swung his arm around, but Squall jumped back, narrowly avoiding having his chest ripped open.

"Squall!" Quistis shouted. "If you can't get close enough...!"

He was already thinking the same thing. _Shiva._

The giant beast stormed across the cavern shattering more of the rock in the center and sending the debris flying like missiles through the air. Squall concentrated and raised his arms. He closed his eyes and tried to speak with the Guardian Force inside his head.

Ifrit continued to charge like a runaway freight train, dead set on squashing the puny human beneath him. With a load roar, he reached his arm back, his razor clawed hand clenched tightly into fist larger than Squall's head. He swung, but instead of making contact, the beast ran straight through him and into the wall, slamming into it with such force that it rivaled the strength of the earlier tremors.

Quistis kept her distance as she watched Squall's body take on a ghost like appearance. A second later, a column of ice erupted beneath him, engulfing him completely. Inside the ethereal ice structure was the figure of a woman with blue skin and wrapped in a lacy white cloth.

Ifrit shook off the impact and spun around. "_He has Shiva?"_ he shouted.

The column of solid blue ice shattered violently, sending shards spraying in all directions, though none of them interacted physically with the surroundings. The blue skinned woman opened her eyes, turning in mid air to see the large beast behind her. She stared at it for a moment while he roared in anger. Raising her left arm and tossing her icicle-like hair back, she tilted her head and snapped her fingers; the sound seemed to freeze time itself and echoed loudly throughout the caverns. Instantly, a blast of frigid air swirled around the ferocious beast and ice particles began to coalesce in the ensuing maelstrom of rock and hail.

Quistis had to drop to her knees, the wind too strong for her to stand. She watched Ifrit freeze solid, then the ice storm stopped and Shiva vanished in a bright flash. Squall reappeared, standing in the exact spot that Shiva had unleashed her attack, snowflakes still lingering in the air around him.

Frozen in a casing of glossy blue ice, Ifrit's fiery red mane appeared black, his eyes hollow and tame. Squall stepped closer.

"Hurry Squall, draw upon it before it breaks free again!"

He nodded to his instructor and once more asked Shiva to lend him her power. Before Shiva could answer that call, Ifrit broke out of his ice encasement and thrust his whole body forward in attack, though he was noticeably weaker.

Squall swung Lionheart at the closing beast and struck its arm blocking it from almost certainly killing him. He quickly followed up the strike with a thrust into Ifrit's chest, where the creature howled in agony.

It swung wildly, ripping the gunblade from its master's hands and sending Squall flying into the wall. Quistis ran over to him, ready to provide the backup she had come here to provide. She swung her whip in the air a few times to gain enough momentum on the sickle, then cracked it at the creature's torso, though it did little damage on his massive frame.

Ifrit tore the gunblade from his chest, then fell forward onto his fists with massive force, cracking the rock beneath his knuckles.

There he sat, his breathing labored and hoarse.

"Get up Squall," Quistis said, offering her hand.

Squall refused the gesture and got himself up, apparently uninjured from his collision, but a little out of breath. He brushed himself off then walked a few steps towards the fallen beast where he picked his gunblade up from the ground.

"_It seems... I have greatly underestimated your abilities..." _Ifrit pushed himself back up and stood before the two small humans. "_At last... A defeat worthy of surrender. Who wishes to possess my strength?"_

With a deep breath, Squall stepped forward and nodded. "I will junction your power."

"_And so it is done..."_ Ifrit's body began to glow and break up like leaves in the wind. The small particles of light swirled around the cadet who'd defeated him, then merged with Squall's body, sending waves of energy through his every nerve, revitalizing him.

He turned to his instructor and nodded. "It's over," he said simply.

She smiled and folded her arms. "Indeed it is. Well done, Squall."

With the Guardian Force now tamed, the tremors and fires within the mountain ceased, and the trek back was rather easy and uneventful. Though Quistis was filled with pride over her student, she kept her comments to herself. She'd decided how to grade him, but it wasn't time to reveal to him just how well he'd done. After the field exam, he'd receive a report which would include his score here along with the overall graduating score. For now, he only needed to know one simple thing; that he'd passed.

The ride back was in complete silence. Squall never said a word and Quistis herself was deep in thought. There was still much she had to do in preparation for the field exam later. Though, that wasn't exactly what was at the forefront.

Her mind couldn't help but wander towards thoughts of Squall. He was very impressive while fighting with Ifrit. He never panicked and his moves were precise. For the most part anyhow. She wondered if even she could have performed as well, and she'd been a full fledged member of SeeD since she was fifteen years old! She's had just as much experience, and Squall, still a cadet, surpassed her. At first, it made her jealous, but she tried to look at it in a different way.

For Squall Leonhart, becoming a SeeD was his only purpose in existence. He trained for hours upon hours every single day to be the best gunblader in Garden; in the _world_. He pushed himself to his limits, never satisfied with his own efforts. It wasn't that Squall was just naturally better than she was, he just trained like a maniac and became as good as he was through rigorous routine and hard work. In a way, it almost made her feel sad for him. Did he ever take the time to have any _fun?_

Upon arriving at the Garden entrance, Quistis pulled over by the main gates. "Well," she said, grabbing the shifter and throwing it into park. "That was very well done. And I'm not just saying that as your instructor. Honestly, I was truly impressed back there."

Squall opened his door and stepped outside. He grabbed Lionheart from the back seat and sheathed it into the harness at his side. He never looked at his instructor; not even a thank you passed those sealed lips of his.

"You still have time before the exam," she went on, preventing Squall from getting away. "I suggest you get something to eat, but just be careful. Try to stay away from anything that might make you sick."

The silent cadet stopped at the steps leading up to the main lot.

"Yes?" Quistis asked, hoping to hear a thank you.

He crooked his head just slightly. "Can I have Quezacotl back?"

She burst into laughter; she thought she knew Squall by now, but it seemed she still had so much to learn about her "complex" student. "Tell you what, Mr. Leonhart." She tried to contain herself, and grabbed the shifter beside her thigh. "Go get washed up and changed into your uniform, then meet me in the lobby at 1500, all right? I'll return him then, I promise." She shifted the truck into drive and sped away.

Squall heard her take off, but didn't look back to see her go. Instead, he took a deep breath and started to walk up the rest of the steps.

Taking in the breeze as she sped away for the garage, Quistis stuck her arm out the window and waved to the cadet behind her, even if he didn't turn around to see it. "You're welcome, Squall Leonhart," she said with a chuckle.

The cavernous lobby of Garden was too silent for his liking. He moved quickly, simply wanting to get back to his dorm so that he might take a shower. Lingering in his mind, however, were the words of his instructor. "Well done," she had told him repeatedly. Her praise was something that he never asked to receive, and so he never offered a thank you in response.

He thought for a moment about how such praise made him feel. He told himself over and over that he didn't need it, it was trivial crap that other people often got too hung up on. He knew how good he was, he didn't need anyone to tell him.

However, he couldn't deny a deeper emotion that resulted from hearing such words. On some level, it did make him feel better, more confident. But again, confidence in his abilities as a SeeD cadet wasn't an area he needed any support in.

He always rejected the praise of other people. There was something there he feared, but he never ventured far enough in thought to discover what it was. The very idea of it had him scared. Squall was a loner, true to every sense of the word. Dependencies on other people was a weakness, and he could not allow himself to be weak like that. He had to be strong.

He always had to be _so_ strong.

* * *

"So how'd he do?"

Quistis nodded with a smile. "Better than I imagined."

The Headmaster stood at his desk and adjusted his glasses. "The incident this morning... That didn't slow him down at all?"

The instructor shook her head, smiling even wider. "Not at all. He's definitely one of the best in his class. I have no doubts he'll pass this exam with exceptional scores."

The Headmaster walked around to the front of his desk and sat at the edge of it, crossing his arms over his chest. "He seems a bit withdrawn." He hadn't intended it, but there was some hint of sadness in his tone.

Quistis agreed on that short assessment. "But I don't believe it will effect his performance as a SeeD. If anything, his sheer determination alone make him, potentially, the best mercenary SeeD has to offer."

The Headmaster's eyes widened. "Finally, a gunblade specialist in SeeD."

"Although... What of Seifer?" She really didn't need to ask, and Seifer's name rolled off her tongue with a small tinge of disdain.

"Ha ha. That boy's been running around all day causing mayhem with the other students. I got word that he and his gang had threatened a one Mr. Zell Dincht over something that had occurred during lunch hour. I tell you, as good as he is with the gunblade, I don't believe his character has what it takes to become a SeeD. Still, he's one of my... Well..." He trailed off into a stream of incoherent mumbling.

"He's undisciplined and has a real problem with authority."

The Headmaster chuckled with quick nods. "Too true."

"Sir. Have you seen him yet on the 'incident?'"

He drew in a long breath and rose back to his feet. Walking over to the window, he stuck his hands in his pockets and sighed. "No. I've left that up to the faculty as a matter of fact. I'm much too busy to be dealing out lectures this time of year."

The instructor nodded, but she knew there were other reasons he refused to speak with Seifer. She would never admit them to anyone, or even bring up those issues with the Headmaster himself though; for they derived directly from his personality. The Headmaster was too much in the role of a father than an official, but it was improper decorum to bring up such personal issues with a superior.

"Anyway," he continued, "I've got to review my speech for the exam."

Quistis saluted and took that as her cue to leave. Just as she placed her hand on the door knob however, she heard his voice stop her.

He turned around and removed his glasses to wipe them with a handkerchief. "Quistis, dear." His eyes met hers, and a smirk streaked across his face. "I have a special guest arriving later this evening."

"Oh? Might I ask who, sir?"

As if ignoring her question, or attempting to avoid it, he went on with further details. Indeed, that was his way of answering. "I've agreed to review a job request from a particular group in Galbadia."

Quistis looked slightly confused. "Galbadia, sir? Isn't SeeD fighting Galbadian forces in Dollet as per the contract with the Dollet Dukedom?"

The Headmaster returned his glasses to his face and smirked at the instructor. "Yes, but please let me continue. This is a very special case. This group is also fighting _against_ Galbadia. Their leader has been sending in requests for some time now, but due to their lack of funds and various other issues, I have denied all of them."

"So why now?"

Taking a few steps closer to her, he turned his head to the side. "Well... I haven't accepted the job just yet. However, I've put much consideration into it. She'll be arriving tonight to discuss the details further, and then perhaps we'll draw up a contract."

She? It was a woman? Well, not that it mattered. "Sir, how does this concern me?"

The Headmaster smiled, his attention focused on her feet. Finally, he met her eyes again and began rubbing his hands together. "The ceremony tonight is for SeeD personnel only, and any guests attending are by invitation only. I have not informed the Garden faculty of her arrival, not even the Garden Master. I need you to meet her and see that she makes it into the party. She won't be able to enter without an escort, and it would be most unfortunate if she had to miss our meeting because of such formalities. I, myself, would meet her, but I have a prior engagement this evening, and I'm not entirely certain how long I will be occupied."

Quistis saluted her superior, albeit, still somewhat confused. "Yes sir. I'll see to it that she makes it inside without any complications. Anything else sir?"

He thought for a moment. "Her contact name will be Jules. She doesn't exactly trust organizations such as SeeD and has refused to be contacted by her real name, for now. Their group..." He paused. "Quistis, my dear. Her arrival is to be kept under strict secrecy, is that understood? No one is to know about our meeting, until I actually make a decision whether or not to dispatch SeeD to help them in their cause. Is that clear?"

"Yes sir, understood." Again, she saluted. "If that's all sir, I should go prepare for the exam now." She turned around and exited his office without being stopped this time.

The Headmaster returned to his desk and sat for a moment thinking about the future. So many issues were at hand, and it seemed as if the Galbadian government was becoming somewhat restless. Their invasion in Dollet was unprovoked and with extreme hostility. The Galbadian army was notorious for their violent and disorganized troops. It was always shoot first, ask questions later with them, but... As illogical as it seemed on the civil end, it was a strategy that worked and gave them a reputation to be feared; and it was fear that granted them their power.

Given the world events, the Headmaster couldn't help but sense a forthcomingness. However, there was another, much more personal reason as well. The time he'd been waiting for, the time _they'd_ been waiting for, was fast approaching.


	3. What he lived for Part II: Dusk

**DISCLAIMER:**

_Final Fantasy VIII_ belongs to Square-Enix. I hereby disclaim ownership of said property. Ok, now low let's get on with the story, shall we?

**Chapter III**

He never really paid much attention, but his room was quite empty and desolate. The dorm was a double, but lucky for him, he didn't have to put up with a roommate and had the entire place to himself.

Aside from the two bedrooms, there was one bathroom and a small study area. Off-white colored paint covered every wall; the ceiling's stucco was a plain flat white. The floor in the bedrooms was carpeted gray, while the study area, which also served as a kind of small foyer, had a linoleum tile floor colored a dark orange.

Sitting in the middle of that room was a table a mess with text books and magazines related to weapons and military equipment. Not a single photograph or painting hung on any wall, there was no TV or computer, not even a small radio or wall mounted clock. In his bedroom was a tiny and pathetic metallic desk, on top of which sat his only means of telling time; a small digital alarm clock. And no, that didn't have a radio in it.

It was as if Squall didn't exist. He was aware of his complete lack of a social life, and that was exactly how he preferred it to be. Anything material he owned that had come from another human being, even a photograph, came with the risk of losing it. And so, he kept such things away, demeaning them as flaws that the entire human population seemed to be weak because of.

Squall Leonhart could not be weak.

Across from his bed was a closet, where all his clothing hung neatly on hangers or had been folded and placed on shelving built into the wall. Right in front, catching his eyes before anything else, hung his SeeD cadet uniform, the dark navy fabric contrasting shimmering silver shoulders. Pulling the freshly dry-cleaned uniform free from its dark prison, he laid it out on his bed to get a better look at it.

Formal attire was not something he kept on his "things I like" list. In all honesty, Squall didn't have much of anything on that list.

**The third piece...  
**What he lived for... Part II: Dusk

Academy regulations prohibited cadets to drink alcohol during normal school hours, or while attending any form of late classes or training sessions. The legal drinking age in Balamb was eighteen, due mostly to Balamb's lack of societal events. However, Garden permitted alcohol consumption acceptable as young as fifteen. It was a freedom they allowed simply because of the very nature of what the academy was and what it trained its cadets to do. They were teenagers, some students even recruited as young as five, and they spent their lives dedicated to the deadly art of war and killing.

Even so, Squall was not much of a drinker to begin with. He'd only been craving the alcohol due to the gravity of his life at this point. So much was riding on how he performed out there tonight. If he failed, he could die; simple as that. If he succeeded, his entire life would change forever, his future as a SeeD filled with both rewards, and unimaginable hardship. The average life expectancy of any SeeD member was not much higher than thirty. The job of a mercenary was naturally among the deadliest occupations on the planet, and the uncertainty of when one's death was to arrive came written in their job description.

He headed for the café. There was less than an hour until everyone had to meet in the lobby, and he certainly didn't feel like hanging around his room pondering his life too much. Normally, he'd go straight to the training center and battle monsters to further hone his skills, but he wasn't in the mood for that either. Plus, it wouldn't be a good idea to risk ruining his uniform right before the exam.

Instead of something alcoholic, he bought himself a coffee, though that too was something he didn't like drinking often.

Sitting by himself he took note of the time on the large podium clock in the center of the eating area. No doubt at this point cadets were piling into the lobby, hanging out and killing time until the Headmaster began his speech. Squall hadn't once thought of joining them; mixing into crowds and socializing was a waste of time.

Yes, sitting alone drinking a small cup of coffee while contemplating the meaning and significance of social behavior was a much more productive use of his time.

Heh, even his own thoughts were sarcastic towards him.

It didn't take long before his thoughts carried him into a world that was unique to the cadet. A world without burden, without pain and loss. Could it be that Squall was a dreamer? Maybe, but he never forgot the reality. He'd accepted from a very early age that life is nothing like in the books. Though his dreams provided a temporary escape, he knew full well that's all they were; temporary.

Before he realized it, his coffee had gone cold, the clock just minutes from striking 1600.

Almost reluctantly, he stood and tossed the cup of cold coffee into the trash, then grabbed his gunblade from the table. He didn't try to think of what was going to happen, of what he and the other cadets were going to face in Dollet; he simply thought about what he needed to do at that moment. Right now, his most major task was getting to the lobby.

* * *

There weren't too many cadets standing around, but even still, the noise level was well above desirable amounts. It seemed that most of the cadets had arrived, and the other nine instructors began calling out names as they assigned the teams, shouting loudly over the chatter. 

Quistis took another look at her list, though she already knew her squad by heart. Each squad only consisted of three cadets and an instructor, making a total of thirty cadets taking the exam. It was a smaller number than last time; an implication of many things, but that wasn't important right now, assigning her team was.

Looking around, she could not see any of the three students on her list. She stood on her toes to peer over the tops of heads, but still could not find anyone. Then, walking in from the causeway came, perhaps, the coolest looking cadet in all of Garden. She grinned when she spotted him.

Wearing his SeeD cadet uniform with Lionheart harnessed at his left, Squall walked into the lobby without any discernable expression. He wasn't there to socialize, he was there to receive his assignment, and that was all.

"Squall!" Quistis shouted with a frantic wave. "Over here! You're in Squad B!"

Somehow, he just knew he'd be assigned to her.

Quistis met him by brushing her hand over his shoulder, trying to wipe away some unseen dust or lint. Squall didn't like the contact at all and pulled himself away.

"Ahem," his instructor smirked. "Looking sharp, Squall." There were other discriptions she could have used, but wisely settled for the more innocent of adjectives. "You're in Squad B. There are two others I haven't spotted yet."

Squall stood silent and still, but even so, his instructor answered a question he asked mentally.

"Zell Dincht. Do you see him anywhere?" As soon as the question left her lips, she noticed some activity near the main entrance.

There was a male cadet sparing with an invisible partner, throwing punches and spin kicks to the air. His blonde tsunami hairstyle was a dead giveaway of his identity.

"Zell!" Quistis shouted, in much the same way she'd done to Squall. "Zell Dincht, over here please!"

The blonde cadet stopped sparing and turned his head to see the young instructor waving and calling his name. He instantly broke into a series of back hand springs, finishing with a full back-flip on the last spring then landing securely on his feet. Afterwards, he spun around with a massive grin, his face lit with sheer excitement.

Squall folded his arms and turned his head away. He felt embarrassed for the both of them.

"Well, he's quite the lively fellow, isn't he?" Quistis stated while jabbing her elbow into his side.

The blonde cadet began walking towards them, all smiles.

"Lively?" Squall retorted. "Instructor, he's obnoxious. Can I switch teams?"

Quistis almost started laughing. "No, I'm afraid not. The teams were chosen at random and can't be changed."

_"Random my ass..."_

The cadet stopped when he noticed who else was standing beside instructor Trepe. "Whoa! I'm with you?"

Squall sighed as he continued to stare at a wall nearly ten meters away. Never before had this lobby seemed so large and so small at the same time.

"Instructor, you mean I'm in the same squad as Squall? Sweet!" He brushed his hand off, even though he was wearing gloves, then extended it in request of a handshake from the famous cadet. "Dude, you're the best! I can't believe we're on the same team, this is so cool!"

Squall certainly noticed the extended hand, and equally noticed how excited this guy was. No way in hell was he about to shake hands with him. "Whatever."

Zell frowned, but didn't take the rejection too personally. Along with Squall's reputation with the gunblade came a reputation for being antisocial. "So..." he began as he folded his arms. "You don't get along with Seifer, do you?"

Squall shot him a look, not quite sure what he was getting at. Had he not been caught so off guard by the remark, he might have stopped the obnoxious cadet from continuing.

"Heard he whooped you pretty bad this morning!"

The infuriated cadet tried to contain his anger. "We weren't fighting, we were training." It was bullshit, and he knew it. But this guy had no right butting in on his personal life.

Zell chuckled. "Oh yeah? I'll bet you he doesn't think so!"

This conversation had to end. Squall could feel his fingertips reaching for Lionheart a little too readily.

"Yeah, well..." Zell interlocked his fingers and cracked his knuckles over his head, then rested his hands atop his gelled blonde hair. "Look, Seifer's just being a pain in the ass. All you have to do is ignore him. Freakin' guy... You know what he did to me earlier?"

"No," Squall thought, "And I don't care."

"That stupid committee of his chased me outta the cafe and tackled me in the hall! You know what he did then?"

Quistis was finding the whole thing rather humorous.

"He and Raijin held me down while Fujin tied my ankles together with my own shoe laces!" Zell started to gesture with his hands and began to move around as though his ankles were still bound. "They held out my arms and told me to run with them! I put up a fight of course, but three against one, you know..."

Squall could picture that. He'd seen people endure worse while in the hands of the committee.

"Anyway," the blonde cadet sighed. "Looking at those stitches... Damn. What'd he do to you?"

Squall gritted his teeth. "That's none of your..."

"Business!" Quistis shouted out before him. She looked away from her student, afraid to make eye contact. "Ahem. Anyway, that 'pain in the ass' you're talking about?"

Zell squinted his eyes, his hands once again placed atop his head. "Yeah?"

Their instructor couldn't help but smile, although she knew as well as they did, it wasn't a funny matter. Ok, on some level it was. "He's your Squad Leader. Seifer's your Captain."

The blonde's jaw dropped in unison with his foot as he stomped the floor, hard. "_Say what!_" He put his whole breath into the shout, even arcing forward in disbelief.

"Sorry Zell, it can't be changed."

Squall didn't show any reaction at all. If anything, he was actually glad. Maybe Seifer would keep this guy quiet.

Though she couldn't see him anywhere, Quistis called his name above the crowd. "Seifer Almasy, are you here?"

Waltzing in from the main entrance, Seifer was accompanied by his two most loyal friends. It seemed the trio hardly went anywhere without each other. "Instructor," Seifer said in a smug tone. "How delightful to be on Squad B yet again."

Squall examined the trio. Raijin, Fujin and Seifer... The three of them made up Balamb Garden's Disciplinary Committee. In truth, they were right at the border which separated them from being mere bullies.

Quistis's hands met her hips as she shook her head at the sight before her. "Seifer! Why aren't you in uniform?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "What difference does it make?"

"You know Garden regulations! You need to be wearing the cadet uniform during this exam, it distinguishes you from the other SeeDs!"

Seifer snickered. "Hmp. I think this trench-coat makes me looked distinguished enough, don't you agree?"

Arguing with someone as stubborn and hotheaded as Seifer was a waste of time; Quistis knew she wasn't going to get through to him. She could have threatened to disqualify him from the exam, but somehow she knew he'd find a way to fail it on his own.

Surrendering for the moment, she shook her head and took a deep breath. "Listen up. You're the Squad Captain for Squad B. You'd better behave yourself, understand? There's a lot of responsibility being placed on you here."

"Yeah, yeah."

She sighed; there was just no getting through to him. "Well, good luck Seifer."

He started to laugh after hearing that. "Instructor, I hate it when people wish me luck. Why don't you save those words for a bad student who needs 'em, huh?" He turned to Zell to emphasize his point.

"All right," Quistis said, staring Zell in the eyes.

The poor cadet felt as though he were facing conviction of some horrible crime he hadn't committed. To his relief, however, he saw the instructor look back to Seifer.

She smirked, her voice heavy with disdain. "Good luck, Seifer."

His playful rebelliousness instantly turned into anger at that moment. Thrusting his arm out in front of Fujin, he turned and met her equally steely gaze. "Add instructor Trepe to the list."

Fujin simply nodded in affirmation.

Quistis laughed internally at their stupid games. She didn't feel threatened by them and some ridiculous 'list.' She seized back control over the conversation. "Pay attention. You three will make up Squad B, and I'll be the instructor in charge of grading you." She eyed Seifer rather exclusively. "Teamwork is of the utmost importance. You need to work together and get through this exam, all right?" She seriously had her doubts that Seifer could even comprehend the concept of teamwork.

Already high on his complex of superiority, the arrogant cadet shouted over his instructor. "Listen up! Teamwork means staying the hell out of my way!" He grinned widely, a trademark gesture of his. "It's a Squad B rule! Don't forget it."

Their instructor rubbed her forehead as she felt a migraine setting in.

Squall noticed that Zell's expressions were changing chaotically between anger and frustration. "Don't listen to him, Zell," he told the younger cadet. Funny. He was more or less echoing the words that Dr. Kadowaki and Zell had both told him to do. Ignore Seifer. The same words he'd immediately rebuke when directed to him.

"Is everyone here?" a man's voice projected over the crowd. "May I have your attention please."

The lobby quieted down as the Headmaster, Cid Kramer, took a stance at the front, two members of the Garden faculty standing at either side of him. Quistis and Squad B were right up front, practically standing next to them.

Cid Kramer was a man well into his forties, but he still looked quite well. He was wearing a white dress shirt and a red vest with a plain, tacky looking green tie. He also had big round glasses with very thin rims, a style that well suited his flat, square face.

He was a man that looked intelligent, but his mannerisms often portrayed him as a bumbling idiot. He had a big heart though and cared for every student like they were of his own flesh and blood. He catered to the student body whenever they had issues or requests. He was a good man, a father in every sense of the word, even though he had no actual children of his own.

He stood in front of the directory and spoke loudly so everyone could hear him. "May I have everyone's attention please." He cleared his throat and continued. "This exam will involve thirty cadets from squads A through J. Each squad has three members and an assigned instructor. The instructors will not be accompanying the cadets in battle, but will be watching from the sidelines, only intervening when necessary. Each squad will be assigned a captain. You will obey your captain's orders as you would obey mine."

Everyone remained silent as he spoke. Seifer decided to take a seat on the edge of the retaining wall for the plants, a large pool of crystal clear water behind him.

The Headmaster didn't take any particular notice and continued with his speech. "You will be proceeding to a real battlefield. Obviously then, the battles are for real. Life and death, victory and defeat, honor and disgrace! Each of these are like sides of a coin, there is only one way or the other." He paused and looked around trying to get a sense of everyone's reactions. "How about it? Is everyone still up to it?"

No one backed out. They all held their thoughts.

The Headmaster smiled and nodded to his disciples. "You will be accompanied by ten official SeeD members, plus your ten instructors whom are also members of SeeD. Should you fail to complete your missions, they will get the job done. They always do."

He took a deep breath and glanced at Quistis who smiled back at him. "Well, that should be one less worry on your minds." He smiled wider and threw his arms into the air. "The pride of Balamb Garden! The elite mercenary force, SeeD! Learn from them! Obey their commands and accomplish the mission!" He raised his voice to a shout. "Prove yourselves worthy of becoming a member of SeeD! Best of luck to you all!"

The instructors and present SeeD members joined the cadets in the cheers as everyone poured out the main entrance. Cid stood and watched them go. Quistis and Squad B were the last to leave, but the Headmaster stopped Squall in his tracks.

He pulled him to side and put his arm around Squall's shoulder, embracing him tightly; something Squall really didn't like, but of course never said anything about. "We've yet to recruit a gunblade specialist in SeeD," Cid started to tell him. "That is why I'm hoping you and Seifer will pass this exam. I have high hopes for you son." He patted him once on the back and started to walk away.

Great. He felt pressured now. That's just what he needed.

He ran to catch up with the others. Seifer walked in the lead, Quistis right behind him. Zell slowed down so he could walk beside Squall, but he didn't say anything. He was only there for protection from Seifer.

* * *

Squall found himself sitting in the back of a large APC, or Armored Personnel Carrier. There was a wall separating the back compartment from the cabin, and there were no windows. In the center of the ceiling was a small, dim light which flickered every so often when they'd hit a particularly nasty bump in the road.

The antisocial cadet sat with his elbows at his knees and his head lowered, his gaze set upon the filthy floor. Directly in front of him there was a narrow table bolted in place, on top of which he'd placed his gunblade; right next to Seifer's.

Sitting beside him was Zell, and directly across from him, his instructor. Everyone remained silent for the first half of the ride into Balamb Harbor. Of course, despite Squall's deepest wishes, the silence couldn't last forever.

"Yo, Squall," the energetic teen sitting next to him finally began. "Show me your gunblade, will ya?"

Squall didn't acknowledge his request, even with the slightest gesture. He kept his gaze fixated upon that worn out floor beneath his feet, though his eyes never really saw it. His mind was elsewhere at the moment, trying to contemplate the circumstances surrounding his day's events, and what lied in his nearest future.

Zell leaned over the table, but out of respect, he didn't pick up the weapon and insisted that Squall at least answer him in some way or another. "C'mon, man! Just a peek?"

Squall didn't move a muscle.

The hyper teen threw himself back into his seat, folding his arms in disappointment. "Tch. Fine, be that way." He turned his head to the side sticking his nose in the air as if Squall's unwillingness to speak didn't bother him in the slightest. However, it was a feeble attempt and he couldn't help but pursue the issue. "Why you bein' so selfish? You're such a scrooge!"

Quistis felt a grin forming on her lips as she noticed the cadet in front of her still showed zero reaction to Zell's childish behavior.

"C'mon, say something, will ya?"

Still, nothing.

"What's up with you! Always so deep in thought! You know, it isn't healthy to be thinking so damn much." He was desperate to see some signs of life, and he was going to continue until he got at least that amount of satisfaction. "Yo, Squall! Wh-what's on your mind, man?"

There, movement; Squall slowly began to open his mouth to draw a breath, but before the words could leave his throat, they were stolen and spoken for him.

"Nothing!" Quistis blurted out with a small chuckle. She cleared her throat and raised her hand to her mouth realizing she'd just acted out on impulse yet again, probably upsetting her silent student. It was a habit she knew she would have to break.

Squall looked up at her with annoyance, but promptly returned his focus to that floor which everyone speculated must have been so damn fascinating.

Zell was confused for a moment at the unspoken tension between Squall and their teacher, but gave up before even trying to figure out what it was. Cracking his knuckles, he decided he'd do something else to pass the time, seeing as how no one seemed to be in a talking mood.

He got on his feet and started to throw practice punches in air, once again sparing with an unseen partner. It didn't take very long before his actions began to annoy a certain individual across from him.

"Knock it off," Seifer told him curtly. "It's annoying as hell." He leaned over and shot the cadet an evil glare. "Chicken-wuss."

Zell's face turned red with anger. He tightened his fists and stomped his foot. "What did you just call me!"

Quistis wasn't going to tolerate any of that behavior. She made fists of her own and hopped to her feet, the swaying of the vehicle almost throwing her off balance which only added to her anger and frustration. "Cut it out, both of you!"

Zell reluctantly dropped back down into his seat while Quistis rubbed her temples trying to prevent that earlier migraine from making a truly dreadful return.

A few minutes of silence hung between the group. Squall seemed oblivious to the events that had just transpired, but in the ensuing silence, he found his concentration had been broken. Of all the people to break the stillness, it was surprisingly him. "Instructor."

She lifted her head, but continued to massage her temples. "Yes?" Because it was him, however, she stopped the circular motion of her fingers and tried to muster a smile.

"Who was that girl outside the infirmary this morning?" For the moment, he forgot who else was in the vehicle with them, and he wished to Hyne he could retract his words, or at the very least, rephrase the question.

Quistis tilted her head and brushed back a lock of hair behind her ear. "I didn't know there was anyone out there. What did she look like?"

Squall lowered his head without answering. It was a lost cause at this point.

"Why? Is there a problem?" His instructor wasn't as willing to drop the subject however. "Did she say something to you?"

The cadet shook his head, eyes still on the floor. "Not really."

Seifer relaxed into his seat, running his fingers through his short blonde hair. "This is just great," he said as he rolled his eyes. "Heh. I've got a chicken-wuss and guy who's just reached puberty in my squad. Wonderful." He found it quite humorous and laughed to himself.

The comment fueled a fire that had Zell's blood near boiling point. "Damn you!" he shouted. "You're such an asshole!"

Their instructor had surrendered to the bickering and lowered her head even farther below Squall's, now massaging those temples even harder. Yup, there was no stopping it, that migraine came rushing in.

* * *

The ride into Balamb Harbor took about thirty minutes. The town was very small and quiet, the main road barely wide enough to fit two lanes. A number of Garden faculty personnel were directing the vehicles to the harbor to make sure there were no accidents or collisions. Townsfolk watched from their houses and from corner shops. SeeD's presence was not an unwelcome one or anything, it was simply more excitement than what a normal day would usually bear witness to. 

Balamb wasn't the only port in the country, but by its size you'd think it was a minor and insignificant one. The roads were narrow and constructed of hand placed blue colored stone blocks. Here and there were small restaurants and shops, but there wasn't much. A single school stood at the west border of the tiny town, and a large train station sat at the east.

Balamb Harbor didn't have much of an economy anymore; it seemed tourism wasn't a frequent thing these days. The small town relied on tourists as a major source of income. After the Second Sorceress War however, people stopped traveling. Balamb was among the first to suffer from the economical decline that resulted.

The road leading to the harbor curved around a circular building, in front of which hung a sign that read "Balamb Hotel." It was the tallest building in town; three storeys high complete with balconies for each of the four rooms on both upper floors. The ground floor only had the lobby and a patio area overlooking the ocean. It was a very small hotel, only eight rooms total, but still the tallest building in town.

The transport vehicle pulled into the harbor and stopped by the water's edge. Seifer was the first one to step out of the vehicle, followed by Quistis, Zell and then Squall. The driver waited for them to clear out, then parked the vehicle with the others near the entrance to the docks.

"So that's the vessel?" Squall asked out loud, not really expecting to get an answer. He and the others paused to look out over the ocean. There were three boat-like vessels beginning to depart and a fourth one still docked. The other six had to have left already. The sight of it made him nervous for some reason.

The vessel was not very big, maybe a little more than three times the size of the truck they rode in on. It was completely enclosed, no main decks or anything. The only place that one could stand outside was the gun turret in front of the bridge. The bridge was on top of the vessel; it was a small pod like structure. The whole vessel kind of looked like a small submarine, but this was not meant for diving below the surface. It was designed for speed and stealthly insertion into enemy waters.

Seifer unsheathed his gunblade from the harness on his back and slowly pulled it forward, but kept it resting on his shoulder. "Aint no turning back now," he said. He looked at Squall standing next to him. Seifer didn't grin and actually looked quite serious at the moment. "You scared?"

A man wearing a SeeD uniform shouted toward them from the dock the vessel he was waiting at. "Hey, you guys are the last! Hurry up and get in!"

Now Seifer smirked. He lowered his gunblade for a few practice swings then returned it to the sheath on his back. "Don't disappoint me now!" He ran for the vessel, Zell following right behind him.

Quistis ran passed Squall who hadn't moved yet. "Come on, move it!" she shouted at him. "Hurry Squall, don't keep them waiting!"

The only emotion he could discern from her expression and tone was one of stress. Squall had recently begun to notice, Quistis Trepe did not handle stress well.

"Yeah," he thought. This was it. Like Seifer said, no turning back.

As they boarded the vessel, Squall could overhear one SeeD talking to another. "Heh, Squad B," the man snickered. "The 'problem' squad. I guess it can't be helped with a rookie instructor like her though."

Squall wondered for a moment what he was talking about. Squad B being a "problem squad?" This was his first time on the exam, it wasn't like the other SeeD's should know him or the others. Then he realized that Quistis was the instructor for at least two other exams, and Squad B was probably hers for each of them.

Not that it mattered.

Quistis was the last to board the vessel, and the large wall sized hatch folded shut behind her, the hydraulic pistons humming loudly.

They were on their way.

The interior of the vessel was a bit cramped like the truck, but only because there was a larger table in the middle of the compartment. At the front of the compartment was a large flat panel monitor, about two feet tall, built into a wall. On either side of the wall was a small entry way that had a set of stairs leading up to the bridge.

The whole vessel smelled like petroleum and deisel.

The group sat in pretty much the same arrangement as before, but Quistis and Zell swapped with each other. Zell was now sitting on the same side as Seifer, but he left a good four of five feet of space between them. Quistis sat right at Squall's side. The fact that she held feelings for him played a major role in why she was sitting so close.

But just like in the truck, Squall sat hunched over, eyes fixated on the table in front of him. He was always in such deep thought.

"Hi Quistis," a voice said from the narrow stairs beside the monitor. There came a woman with short black hair, wearing a SeeD uniform, her hands folded in front of her.

Everyone looked over to her, including Squall.

"Hello Xu!" Quistis rose to her feet. "Well," she looked at her crew, "These are the members of Squad B."

Zell hopped to his feet in nervous response, immediately nodding and introducing himself. "I'm Zell! Nice to meet ya!" He rubbed the back of his head with a sheepish smile on his face.

"Zell," the SeeD named Xu bounced back with a smile and nod.

Squall rose to his feet and stood straight. "Squall Leonhart. Pleased to meet you," he said in a very formal manner, accompanied with the SeeD salute. He immediately sat down after receiving a nod in much the same way that Zell had received. He turned his attention back to the table and hunched over once again.

Seifer was completely laid back; he even had his feet up on the table. His arms were spread out on the rests of the booth-like seats, his right arm along the back edge. He simply grinned at the SeeD in the front.

"Seifer," Xu said with recognition. "How many times has it been now?"

He tilted his head back and strained his words. "Oh, I just love these exams."

Maybe that's what the guy at the dock was talking about, Squall thought. Seifer was definitely a problem kind of guy, and if he was always in Squad B, then maybe there was some truth to the man's words.

Xu shook her head and took a step closer to the monitor, holding up a thin pointer in her left hand. She addressed the others while Seifer kept his head resting on the back of the seat. "All right," she began. "I'll explain the current situation and the mission given to SeeD." She swung the stick at the monitor and it lit up automatically. She hit a particular spot and it reacted by showing a map of the region they were currently in. "Our client for this mission is the Dollet Dukedom Parliament."

She had everyone's full attention, even Squall's, though Seifer looked like he wanted to fall asleep.

"A request for SeeD was made eighteen hours ago. Dollet has been under attack from the Galbadian army for three days. Forty-nine hours into the battle, Dollet abandoned their position in the inner city. Currently, they have retreated into the nearby cliffs and are reorganizing their troops.

"That's the current status. Now onto the mission objective. According to our reports, the Galbadian army is mopping up the remaining Dollet troops in the city and have begun attack atop the cliffs. We're to make a landing at Lapin Beach. We're to eliminate all Galbadian presence within the city and liberate it ASAP. Afterwards, SeeD members will remain to intercept any Galbadian force trying to enter the city from the surrounding cliffs."

Seifer rolled his head forward and stared at the lovely SeeD up front. "What are their demands?"

Xu stared at him for a moment before replying. "Galbadia has refused talks. Their invasion of Dollet came without warning, and it is still unclear what their objectives are."

"So, what are we supposed to do?"

Xu turned off the monitor. "SeeD cadets are to eliminate the G-Army within the city. The soldiers in the cliffs and nearby mountains are only the concern of official SeeD members. Remember that this is an exam; you must act accordingly and do only what you are told."

Zell threw a punch into the palm of his hand. "Sounds important!" His face was lit with excitement.

"Sounds boring." Seifer immediately countered. "So what you're saying is, we handle all the little, dirty work."

Xu folded her arms and glared at the delinquent before her. "Oh, it hardly needs to be said." She turned to the others. "The order to withdraw takes priority over your mission. When you receive this order, drop what you are doing and immediately head for the beach. Don't forget that." She eyed Seifer for a moment and then relaxed a little. "We're almost there. We anticipate an attack as soon as we land. That's all. If you have any questions, please talk to Quistis." She nodded to them all and handed the instructor a packet of documents she picked up from a stand near the stairway. Then she disappeared as she headed back up to the bridge.

A few minutes of silence passed, then Zell had to open his mouth. "My first real battle." He was speaking more to himself than the others. "I'm gettin' kinda nervous."

Seifer couldn't help himself. Zell just set himself up so perfectly, like always. "Don't piss your pants. That might not be the most intimidating image to a hardened Galbadian soldier."

Zell turned and made a fist. "You talkin' to me!"

Seifer only laughed.

Zell folded his arms and relaxed back in his seat. "Bastard," he mumbled under his breath.

Quist jumped to her feet. "Enough already!" she shouted. "We'll be landing soon, so be ready. For Hyne's sake..."

Zell sighed. "Roger."

Squall lifted his head just to utter the words, "All right."

"Yeah, yeah." Seifer lifted his feet from the table and leaned forward. "Well then. Squall, go check outside. I want to know how close we are."

No, was the first thing that came to his mind. If he wanted to know how close they were, he could go outside himself. But he was the Captain, and he had to follow the Captain's orders. "Ok," he said softly as he stood up.

Seifer sat back and folded his arms. "That's right, 'cuz it's captain's orders."

Yes, he knew that. There was no need to point that out. Seifer was such a prick at times. "Yes, thank you for reminding me." Squall retorted. He rarely did that.

He went to the gun turret, the only way he could get outside. The turret was deactivated and was lowered into a special compartment below him, so he had plenty of room to move around and look out over the ocean.

The full moon was huge this late afternoon and colored light scarlet. The sun had already begun its voyage below the horizon leaving rich orange and red hues in the sky. Squall noticed how the color of the sun resembled how it looked this morning. Crimson hues were all around him. Perhaps it was a foreboding. No, there was no doubt about it, that's exactly what it was.

He could see the shore in the distance. Smoke and explosions were clearly visible on the beach. They were just minutes from making their landing. He held up a transparency containing their insertion path and overlaid it with a photograph of Lapin Beach There was little difference between the photo and the shore line in front of him, save for the chaos of battle that was now tearing it apart.

He felt a knot in his stomach and a few missed beats in his heart. The vessel was speeding up and he had to grab the railing so he didn't tumble backwards.

He squinted his eyes. Life and death. Victory and defeat. Honor and disgrace. The words of the Headmaster repeating themselves. "I'm ready," he told himself.

* * *

The highspeed vessels reached top speed and broke formation. Squad B's vessel headed straight for a stone jetty that extended from the side of the cove. The vessel slammed into it and leapt into the air, chunks of brick and mason hurtling ahead of it. It was undamaged and crashed back into the water with a huge splash. Squall and the others braced themselves in the passenger compartment as the small boat rocked violently. 

They felt themselves jolt forward as they slowed from hitting the shore. Finally, they came to a stop and the front end opened like a giant clam. Quistis motioned for them to hurry outside, the air filled with the smell of gunpowder and charcoal.

They assembled on the shore, gunfire all around them, with explosions from grenades shaking the ground beneath their feet. Quistis threw her arm up and pointed to the barrier wall at the back of the beach. "You're to secure Central Square!" she shouted over the chaos.

Seifer unsheathed his gunblade and pointed just as Quistis did. "Let's move out!"

They ran, keeping their heads low to avoid being hit by gunfire. Their hearts were racing, their minds blank. There were nine cadets fighting the Galbadian soldiers here on the beach, with even less Dollet troops beside them.

Seifer led them up the stairs onto the street behind the barrier wall. The battle on the beach was already starting to die down. Squall glanced over the edge and saw bodies of Galbadian soldiers in bright blue and metallic silver uniforms lying in the sand. Were they all dead? None of the SeeD cadets were badly injured, from what he could see. They were all trained well.

Before he could fully take in the sight, two Galbadian soldiers came running down the street ahead of them. "Dollet reinforcements!" one of the soldiers shouted.

Seifer wasted no time and charged them head on. His gunblade clashed with one of the soldier's rifles and cut it in half. The soldier ducked to avoid having his head meet the same fate. He quickly grabbed the sword that was sheathed at his side and engaged Seifer without hesitation. The other soldier attacked from behind with his own sword. Seifer was too fast for them to hit. He ducked and hopped back so both soldiers were right in front of him. He quickly sliced one of them across the chest and tore open the uniform leaving a deep gouge in his chest. The man hallored in agony as he fell to his knees.

Squall and Zell immediately ran to provide backup to Seifer. The second soldier ran over to a parked car and threw himself over the hood, opening fire with his rifle as he slid behind it.

No one was hit. Squall jumped onto the car's roof and brought Lionheart down on the soldier's helmet. The blade didn't cut through, but the impact rendered the soldier immobile long enough for Zell to give him a swift punch in the stomach, followed by a knee in the face. The soldier fell to the ground unconscious.

Seifer stood over the body of the soldier he just killed and smirked. Squall and Zell returned, not sure what to think.

The members of Squad A ran up to the street level and saluted them. "We've got this area covered!" the squad's captain shouted.

Seifer led Squall and Zell down the street towards Central Square. The streets were abandoned; no civilian dared leave their home. The doors of shops and restaurants were locked, some even boarded up or barricaded from the inside.

They were on Main Street now. It was just wide enough for two lanes of traffic, but there were no lines painted on the gray cobblestone road. Lining the street were buildings crammed together so close that it was impossible to squeeze between them. They were mostly stores going up three storeys, and some restaurants that had apartments above them. Some buildings actually had walkways bridging over the road to the buildings on the other side.

The architecture here was not like in Balamb. It was much more modern, but it was also still behind the times. It was also much larger than Balamb was; at least four or five times the size, including population. Dollet was a major tourist town, and it showed by the way it was built. It was a city within the country of Galbadia, but it was trying to establish its own state. Dollet was not governed by Galbadia, and instead had a Duke and a parliament, and even a small army of troops. Galbadia hated this of course.

Was that why the Galbadian army was invading?

Atop the bridge over the street, a blue uniformed Galbadian soldier came running. He saw Seifer pointing his gunblade at him and called for backup. Another soldier joined him on the bridge and the two of them hopped over the railing. They landed hard, but got up immediately, apparently uninjured from the daring leap.

"They look like kids!" One of them shouted, a sword present in his hands.

"They're SeeD!" The other one shouted back. He lifted his automatic rifle, but before he could pull the trigger, Seifer threw out his palm and shouted. "You bastards!"

A bolt of lightning shot down from the sky and struck the soldier down. His rifle flew from his grip as he was blown back several feet. The other soldier dropped his sword and dashed for cover.

Squall saw him hide behind a parked car and decided to use magic as well. He held out his palm and concentrated. The car was hit with a blast of flames that caused the interior to ignite and billow smoke into the surrounding air.

The soldier was forced to come out of hiding, and he ran for his sword sitting in the middle of the street. He picked it up and charged Seifer with an angry growl, hoping he could move fast enough. He was seriously outmatched, and he knew it.

Seifer blocked his strike with his gunblade and then swung it in from the side. The soldier ducked and brought his sword up just barely missing Seifer's face. An attack reminiscent of how Squall struck back at him this morning, in training. Seifer smirked, then kicked him in the stomach and struck him on the side of the head with his gunblade. The helmet cracked under the powerful strike and the soldier fell lifeless in the street, his face covered in blood.

Seifer pointed down the street. "Central Square is up ahead!" He looked around for a moment. "Hey!" he shouted. "All you Galbadian cowards out there! Come out an' show your pathetic faces!" He started to laugh in a taunting way. "Don't leave me hangin' now!"

Zell stood next to Squall as Seifer ran on ahead without them. "What an idiot," he said. Seifer was more than an idiot, he was arrogant and full of pride. Two qualities that were sure to be his downfall.

Squall quickly ran after the Captain trying to catch up. As soon as they arrived in Central Square, another blue soldier attacked them. He ran through the large circular fountain in the center of the square not caring about the water that was soaking him.

Seifer dodged his swinging sword and thrust his gunblade deep into the soldier's stomach. He didn't make a sound as his eyes went noticeably white behind his protective face shield. Seifer quickly pulled his gunblade loose and let the soldier fall back into the fountain.

Squall stood silent and stared at Seifer as he cleaned his blade under the falling water. That was the third person Seifer killed today. Killed. This was more real than he could have imagined. And this wasn't Seifer's first time in the field. How many lives has he taken in the past? How many lie in his future?

"Squall, Zell..." Seifer said over his shoulder as he washed the blood from his weapon. The pool in front of him quickly became tainted with the crimson liquid. "I want you to check the area. Make sure it's secure."

Squall nodded. He looked around but didn't see anymore soldiers in the immediate area. He noticed a dog, a golden retriever, come running from a road that was blocked from a car that had crashed into the side of a building. He and Zell cautiously approached the wrecked car not sure what they'd find.

"Die!" A blue soldier leapt from behind the wreckage, a rifle in his hands. Zell knocked the weapon to the side as he started to shoot; the bullets now hitting only a brick wall. The soldier's face met a fast moving fist, and his face plate cracked.

Squall lifted Lionheart and struck it down between the soldier's neck and right shoulder, slicing him open from collar bone to sternum. The man screamed in pain and fell to his knees. Squall hesitated before taking another strike; was he ready to kill someone?

Zell put his hand in front of Squall as the soldier got up and staggered away.

He almost did it. He felt a surge of confidence electrify his nerves though, knowing he was in control of his actions. He did not kill anyone. In fact, he was skilled enough that he didn't need to. That made him the better warrior. Yes, it felt good. Mercy was not just for the weak like people would say. No, quite the contrary. It took a strong man, one of great discipline to listen to his conscience. Those without mercy, they were the cowards. Too afraid to show compassion toward life that they would rather end it than have to face it. Squall felt more pride now than ever before. And rightfully so.

Zell looked over to him without saying anything. He knew what Squall was thinking, he didn't have to ask.

They both walked back to the fountain where Seifer was still cleaning his weapon; the dog was now scratching at his leg.

"I think that's all of them," Squall told him.

Seifer turned and finished up. He kicked at the dog and sheathed his gunblade. He took a deep breath and exhaled quickly. "Well then." He sat down on the edge of the fountain. "We're on standby till the enemy comes." He chuckled. "Standby. How fucking boring is that?"

Off in the distance more explosions and gunfire could be heard. A battle was taking place at that moment, while they remained in Central Square guarding a fountain and a golden retriever that wouldn't go away.

Squall sheathed Lionheart as well, then crooked his head to listen to the explosions. "Sounds like something's going down."

"Bring it on," Seifer said confidently. He rose to his feet and the dog started scratching at his leg again. "Get outta here!" he shouted. "Scram!" He swung his fist at the dog and kicked it again.

He stared up at the sky for a second then started shouting. "Hey! Galbadian soldiers! What're you pansies waiting for! Come show me what ya got!"

The dog started to bark wildly.

A few minutes passed where none of them said anything. Seifer moved into the street with the wrecked car and was leaning against it tapping his gunblade over his right shoulder. He was whistling a light and melodic tune, something far removed from the emotions both Squall and Zell were feeling. Did Seifer actually grasp the concept that this was all real, and not just a training session? A game?

Zell was pacing back and forth near the fountain, looking mighty nervous.

Squall stood near Seifer and looked up at the moon. It was so huge. The sun was closer to the horizon now, hidden behind the buildings, and the sky was becoming more like night. The moon's scarlet hues were fading into pale blues.

He looked down at the street and noticed puddles. It must have rained here this morning. He shook his head and sighed. "Nothing."

Seifer pulled his gunblade forward and walked towards the fountain a few steps. "Keeping us waiting..." He started swinging the blade wildly, a little too close to Zell. "That's it!" he snapped. "I can't take this shit anymore! What is this, some kind of dog training?"

Just as he said that, the golden retriever ran up to the fountain and started howling. They all looked down Main Street and saw a bunch of Galbadian soldiers running in their direction. Zell and Squall ducked down near the wrecked car while Seifer quickly pressed his back flat against the brick building. Squall could see a single soldier take point at the fountain just a few meters ahead of them. He and Zell ducked lower.

The soldier looked around briefly and didn't seem to see the three SeeD cadets hiding nearby. He signaled that it was clear, and about a dozen soldiers ran passed, heading into a street leading to the edge of the city.

Zell whispered over to Squall. "Where the hell they goin'?"

After the soldiers all passed, Seifer ran up to the front of the fountain. He pointed his gunblade to something in the distance.

Zell and Squall both looked down the street and saw a tall tower like structure on top of a high distant cliff. "Hey," Zell said. "What is that? Up there."

Seifer turned around and looked at Zell. "That... Is our next destination," he said.

"But that's against orders!" Zell fisted both hands and dug his feet into the wet street. "We were told to secure Central Square! All SeeD cadets have to stay within the city!"

Seifer shrugged his shoulders showing he didn't care. "Weren't you just saying how bored you were?"

"What! That was you, jackass!" He looked over at Squall, who was standing motionless, still looking up at the distant tower. "Squall!"

He looked into Zell's eyes briefly then turned his back to them both, taking a few steps back towards the wrecked car. "I stand by the Captain's decision," he said in a steady voice.

Zell couldn't believe his ears. He was paralyzed.

"'Captain's decision?'" Seifer, too, was surprised. He walked up behind Squall and started nudging him on the shoulder, a little too hard for Squall's liking. "You want to wreak some havoc too, is that..."

Squall forcefully pushed Seifer's hand from his shoulder, the contact most unwanted. He didn't look at Seifer and just stared at the few faint stars now appearing in the darkening sky. "It's a good opportunity to test out my training. I feel like I can take on anyone." He crooked his head. "Even if they do fight dirty like you."

Seifer backed off a few steps and grinned slightly. "Heh. Squall buddy. You'll thank me when the time comes."

"What the hell?" Zell looked back and forth between the two. "I thought you two didn't get along. You're like, all buddy-buddy now." He walked over to Squall and faced Seifer. "Listen, this isn't an ordinary battle, it's an exam. An important one." He stomped his foot as if to say he wasn't going to budge. "I'm tellin' ya, we have to stick to orders!"

Seifer stepped right up in Zell's face. "Then you stay here," he said in a low angry tone. "I don't need any boy-scouts tagging along."

"What!" He threw several punches at Seifer, not really trying to hit him, just to get a point across.

Seifer leaned back a little with a smirk as the fists flew passed his face. "Swatting flies?"

The dog started to bark again.

"Don't take him seriously, Zell." Again, Squall was uttering advice he himself never heeded. "Seifer, if we're gonna go, let's hurry. We might not have much time left."

Seifer turned around and faced the street leading to the cliffs. They couldn't see his face, but both Squall and Zell were sure he was smiling. "The enemy is headed for the facility atop those cliffs," he said in a professional tone. "We, Squad B, are to secure the summit." He swung his gunblade in the direction they'd be heading. "Let's move out!"

Just seconds after they darted into the street, a young girl in a cadet uniform ran up beside the fountain. She was out of breath and leaned over gasping for air. "H-heeey..." she tried to yell, her voice only at a whisper from the heavy breathing. "Squad B... Wait...up..."

They hurried down the street and came upon a bridge made of stone and brick. Below was a shallow, but wide river which fed into the delta and the cove near Lapin Beach. This marked the edge of the city and the start of the cliffs. They rose about a hundred or so feet above sea-level and were off limits to the inhabitants of the city.

At the base of the trail was a Dollet troop, slumped over, not moving. Squall didn't stop to check his vitals. He could clearly see gunshot wounds in his chest and head. He was obviously dead.

Seifer hastily led them up the trail until movement behind some brush caught his attention. A Dollet troop crawled out on his hands and knees, apparently injured.

"Ah! Wh-who are you?" he demanded in fright.

Squall stepped forward. "Don't worry, we're SeeD cadets. We've been dispatched by Garden under special request by the parliament."

Seifer tilted his head. "So what's the situation up there?"

The Dollet man lowered his head to gather his thoughts. "The Galbadian soldiers have entered the communication tower on top of the cliff. This place... It's swarming with monsters!" He looked up towards Seifer. "If you guys are heading..."

Suddenly, a loud hiss came from within the brush and something tugged at the troop's leg. "Ah! Help me!" He put out his hand for someone to grab, but before Squall could take it, he was dragged out of sight. "Ahhh!"

A giant creature which looked like some kind of mutated anaconda, leapt from the brush and swung a huge spiked tail at Seifer. It knocked him against the cliff-side and stunned him momentarily.

Squall tried to strike it with his gunblade, but the tough scaly skin of the monster was like hitting iron. Recoiling from the impact, he barely had time to jump back and avoid the tail that hit Seifer. He held out his palm to unleash an attack of ice, but the creature slithered away, narrowly avoiding it.

Seifer regained his composure and shouted, "No mercy!" A blast of fire erupted over the mutated anaconda engulfing it in flames. It hissed and swung its tail violently, but was blinded from the blaze. Seifer held up his gunblade parallel to the ground and closed his eyes. A bright green light emanated from the edge and grew into a disc of bright neon greens and yellows, sparking with arcs of electrical energy. He swung the blade at the creature and the disc of energy shot right through it leaving a trail of residual green smoke in its wake. The creature was cut in half and an explosion threw the halves in opposite directions.

Seifer shouted at the remains of the monster. "No one knocks me down and gets away with it."

The Dollet troop in the brush, stunned to the point that his injuries caused him no pain, looked up at Seifer and said to himself, "Incredible..." The remains of the monster became transparent and quickly faded from existence.

Squall looked around the trail. "Monsters, huh?"

"That sucks," Zell added.

"More fun for us. Come on." Seifer started up the trail again.

"Fun?" Zell said sarcastically. "Puh-lease." Zell did not want to be here right now, but he figured he'd lose even more points on the exam if he didn't follow his captain's orders. He tagged along behind Squall, ever reluctant to take another step.

They followed their captain up the rest of the trail until they were on top of a small cliff. The trail led around and down the cliff and to the entrance of the communication tower, but there was a Galbadian soldier standing at the entrance; two more just came running out.

Seifer and Squall laid flat on the ground and tried to hear what they were saying. Zell kneeled down in the back, out of sight, unable to hear a thing.

"The generator is up and running!" One of the soldiers said. "No problem with the boosters!"

Seifer whispered to Squall. "What the hell're they doing?"

Another soldier started to speak. "Cable disconnection confirmed! He's beginning the exchange process!"

"Roger!" All three soldiers rushed inside.

Squall shook his head. "Repairs maybe?" They both stood up.

Seifer sighed. "Who cares." He looked into Squall's eyes. "So this is your first actual battle. Are you scared?"

Squall turned away. "I don't know." Yes, he was scared. But it wasn't like he thought, or how Seifer intended. He was scared about what this meant. He was scared about his future if he were to become a SeeD. "I try not to think about it."

"I love battles," Seifer quickly stated, making it obvious he wasn't actually interested in hearing Squall's feelings. "I fear nothing. The way I look at it, as long as you keep making it out of battles alive, you're one step closer to realizing your dream. And fulfilling it."

Squall was a bit confused. "What? Your dream?"

"You have one too, don't you?"

He looked away again. "Sorry, but I'd rather pass on that subject."

Zell rushed over with confusion on his face. "Yo, let me in on it too!"

"Mind your own business."

Zell pushed him and started throwing punches in his face again. "Frickin' hell!"

He laughed and knocked the martial artist's hands away from his face. "What's the matter Zell, swatting flies again?" He turned and ran down the trail, laughing as he went.

Zell knelt and punched the ground. "Damn you!"

"There you are!" a girl's voice shouted.

They both looked up and saw a girl dressed in a SeeD cadet uniform standing on a boulder about two meters above where Squall was standing. She climbed the cliff that lined the trail. Why didn't she just take the path like they did?

She began a slow attempt to climb down, but lost her footing on the sandy rock and tumbled ass over heels landing hard on her butt. She rubbed her head and stuck her tongue out at the two guys staring at her.

Squall immediately recognized her; she was the girl he bumped into this morning. So, she was training for SeeD after all.

She stood up and brushed herself off. She reached down to pick up her Nunchaku, a weapon much like nunchucks, but much longer with larger handles. If they were stretched out their entire length, they'd be longer than she was tall. An odd weapon for a petite girl like her, but if she was training for SeeD, then she must know how to use them. She wore a custom-made backpack that allowed her to securely place them on her back, much like the sheath on Seifer's back.

She held the Nunchaku over her head and looked around with wide eyes. "Heeey, you're Squad B, right?"

Squall nodded to her.

"I'm... a messenger, from Squad A. Name's Selphie Tilmitt!" She looked around again. "Your Squad Captain is Seifer, right? Where is he?"

Squall pointed over the edge of the cliff toward the entrance of the communication tower, which Seifer just came running up to.

The arrogant cadet stopped and looked up to the people on top of the cliff. "One of these days Squall," he yelled, "I'm gonna tell ya 'bout my romantic dream!" He swung his gunblade and rushed into the tower's entrance.

The girl from Squad A, Selphie, sighed heavily, obviously out of breath. "This is so tough." To Squall's surprise, she suddenly jumped off the cliff, landing on another boulder and tumbling over again. "Squad Captain, wait up!" she shouted as she ran for the tower. She turned to Squall and Zell, still at the cliff's edge. "Hurry, what are you waiting for! Come on, come on, come on, let's go already!"

Squall took a step over the edge and felt Zell's hand on his shoulder. "You aren't... Squall, it's a cliff man!"

Squall brushed his hand off and then jumped. He landed perfectly, and didn't lose his balance on the unstable rocks. He made it look easy compared to Selphie's clumsy attempt.

Zell scratched his head. "All right." He jumped off the cliff, shouting "Geronimoooo!" as he went.

Selphie waited for them to catch up to her. "Well, let's get goin'."

The height of the tower was dizzying, and Zell felt his jaw drop in awe. "So this... is the communication tower then?" It was not supposed to sound like a question.

Selphie's eyes were wide again. "Wow. Sure is big."

"Ah! Ahhh! Retreeeat!"

Suddenly, three Galbadian soldiers stormed out of the entrance, screaming and hollering with smoldering uniforms. Seifer emerged right behind them swinging his gunblade. "Cowards!" he shouted at their backs. "Won't even stay and fight! Three against one, and you still run!"

He turned and saw Selphie.

"Heeey!"

He blinked a few times at the strange girl, then ran back inside.

Selphie looked puzzled. "The Captain's getting away!" She ran ahead of Squall and Zell, following Seifer inside.

The tower was cylindrical with a central core that contained two lifts for personnel to ride up to the top. There were myriads of cables and electronic equipment everywhere, none of which had any obvious function, unless you were a tech wizard and knew all about that kind of stuff. They didn't have any idea what it all did, and they didn't care.

The sound of the lift caught their attention and they looked up to see Seifer riding one. "He went up! Hey, Squad B captain!" Selphie's constant spunkiness, if not ditziness, was getting on Squall's nerves. Just like this morning.

He motioned to another lift. "I think we can take this one up."

They all stepped onto the lift and Selphie pushed a big green button. The lift jolted to life and started carrying them up the tower. "Wow," the hyper girl said. "This lift is pretty cool!" She looked over the edge as the ground rapidly dropped lower and lower.

Zell grabbed her shoulder. "Don't get too excited, or you'll fall!"

"Yeah right, like I'm really going to!"

The wind was blowing hard out on the platform. The soldier in the red uniform found it difficult to work under such conditions and constantly swore to the machinery in front of him.

He was standing in front of a huge, eight foot high electrical panel beside a massive parabolic dish, live wires and cables hanging loosely in front of him. "Dammit!" he yelled. His voice was very gruff and carried a lot of anger and frustration. "This, goes here... Ah! Son of a bitch! That hurt!" He received a nasty shock when he connected one of the thick cables to the main power conduit. "All right, let's see... This one connects to this... Ah shit! Hyne, dammit!"

A soldier in a blue uniform approached from behind, not making enough noise as he did. "Major Biggs!"

"Ahh-AHHH!" The red soldier screamed from the pain. "Wedge! Don't fuckin' do that!" He threw a wrench at the saluting soldier; it bounced off the man's hard helmet, the soldier not even flinching an inch. "What do you want, I'm busy!"

"Sir! There has been a report of a monster shaped shadow on top of the tower!"

The red soldier, Major Biggs, stared back with cold eyes. "You're insane. Get lost, I'm almost done!" He turned around and stuck his hands back into the infernal task he was assigned to complete. "Damn these crappy ass tools," he mumbled to himself. "What the fuck! Why do I have to make all the repairs! Ahhhh! Hell! I'm not even a technician!"

"Sir! I'll go check around while you finish up here." The blue soldier started to walk away and could hear the Major uttering more profanities.

Squall, Zell and Selphie's lift arrived at the first platform, while Seifer's continued to the top. They stepped off and immediately noticed the red soldier working on the panel just a few meters ahead. The wind was terrible.

"There!" the soldier shouted. "It's complete!"

Huge arcs of electricity surged through the cables and the panel's lights all lit up. Inside the core of the tower, all types of machinery and equipment sparked to life. Sirens and alarms wailed as the tower transformed in various areas, spurting satellite dishes and large radio antennae.

Right behind Squall, a large piece of equipment shot up through the core all the way to the very top of the tower where it opened up into an enormous satellite dish, with high powered laser transmitting antennae in the center. The whole tower shook while it transformed itself. Selphie watched the soldier's tools slip between the grated floors and tumble through the air before hitting an extension of the tower below and flinging wildly towards the ground. It was a frightening sight; she didn't want to imagine what would happen if any one of them fell.

Finally, the shaking stopped and the tower hummed to life with enormous amounts of power surging through it.

Squall ran over to the red soldier. "What do you think you're doing!"

Biggs turned around and shouted back at him. "Likewise, mister! The hell do you think you're doing?" A sudden realization slapped him in the face. "Hey! What happened to the soldiers below? How'd you guys get up here? Wedge! Take care of these little twerps, now!"

Squall and the other two cadets stood still for a moment as the big red soldier waited for his partner... who never showed up.

"Wedge?" He looked around but couldn't see the blue soldier anywhere. "Uh... Hm. Well, ah..." He looked over to Squall and put on a mean face. "My work is done here. I'm leaving now." He tried to squeeze by the cadets like he hadn't done anything wrong. "Move, move, I'm leaving. Get out of the way!"

The lift appeared behind them, Seifer riding it with his gunblade drawn. He poked at the Major and knocked a small device out of his hand. "Sorry to crash the party!"

"Ahh! Are you crazy kid? Watch where you point that thing!"

Seifer took a swipe, just barely missing his throat. "Shut up!"

Biggs snarled. "Why you little punk. Prepare for the worst you brats!" He reached for a hand gun at his side and opened fire on Seifer. Squall quickly knocked it loose with Lionheart. "Gees! Give me a chance for Hyne's sake!"

"Major Biggs!" a voice shouted. "Sir, it's the enemy!"

"No shit, dumbass! Wedge, get over here and back me up!"

The wind suddenly intensified. They all looked up as a shadow appeared on top of them. "The hell is that!" Biggs screamed.

A gigantic flying monster had descended on the tower, its huge wings stirring up quite a gust. The look of sheer horror entered their faces. It looked like a massively overgrown wasp with terrifying claws and a stinger several feet long.

Biggs and Wedge ran for the lift and punched the button to get it moving. The SeeD cadets were cut off from the other lift as the nightmarish insect blocked their path.

Zell shouted to the others trying to mask his fright. "I don't think that fighting this thing was meant to be a part of our exam!"

Seifer charged the monster with fearlessness in his eyes. "Let's have some fun!" He swiped at the large stinger-like appendage and severed it like he was cutting through butter. A semi-clear fluid squirted from the exposed innards of the stinger as the giant insect flailed violently.

Selphie swung her nunchaku with surprising force from someone her size. The large handle at the other end smacked the creature aside the head, stunning it, causing it to swing its large claw-like arms wildly.

Zell managed to grab one of those arms and pull the entire thing from the air, swinging it hard onto the metal grated platform. Both Squall and Seifer hopped on top of it, each thrusting their gunblades deep into its abdomen. It screeched loudly, and knocked them both off with its powerful arms. The creature twitched for a few moments and then seemed to die. Squall stood up and went to retrieve Lionheart which was still stuck in its belly.

"Careful man," Zell cautioned.

"I can sense something." Squall pulled out his mucus covered weapon and placed his hand over the wound. "This thing has a GF junctioned."

"Really?" Selphie ran over to it. "Hurry up and draw it out before it dies!"

Squall hopped off. "Help yourself."

Selphie rushed over to the dying creature and took up the offer. She held out her hand and concentrated. Blue orbs of light emerged from the creature's fluid covered abdomen and merged into her hand. "Heeey! Hold on a sec..." She tried to listen to the voice whispering in her thoughts. "Siren! The GF's name is Siren!"

Squall shrugged his shoulders. "Good for it. Can we go now?"

His request made Selphie go into shock. "Oh shoot! I almost forgot!"

Zell folded his arms and looked into the hyper girl's eyes. "Forgot what?"

She stomped her foot. "I was supposed to give your captain a message, that's why I followed you guys all the way up the cliff and up this tower!"

"So what's the message?" Seifer asked.

"We received the order to withdraw!" Selphie hit herself on the forehead. "We received the order to withdraw at 1900 hours! All SeeD cadets must assemble on the shore before the vessels leave!"

"What!" Seifer couldn't believe what he was hearing. "But there are still enemies, everywhere! Why the hell would they order a withdrawal so soon?"

She was taken aback by his sudden shouting, which seemed directed exclusively towards her. "I don't know, I'm just a messenger," she said innocently.

Seifer looked away for a moment. "1900 hours... We only have thirty minutes!" He swung his gunblade around and quickly sheathed it on his back. He smirked at Squall and Zell. "You got thirty minutes to get down to the shore! Better run!" He quickly hopped on the elevator and pushed the button to go down, leaving the other cadets stranded on the platform.

"Heeey!" Selphie yelled. "Squad B Captain, wait for us!"

Zell stomped his foot down on the grated floor causing it to vibrate with a loud clanging noise. He looked over at Squall. "Just who the hell does he think he is?"

Squall spoke in a low sardonic tone. "Why don't you ask him?" He went over to the controls for the other lift and pushed the button to call it up. "Let's go."

As the three cadets rode the second lift down to the ground level, they noticed the other one was going back up. It wasn't Seifer riding it though.

"You little twerps!" the big red soldier yelled as he and his partner passed. "You'll get wha..." His voice faded as the two lifts grew farther apart.

"What did he say?" Zell asked Squall, as he scratched the back of his head. Squall just shrugged his shoulders.

The two Galbadian soldiers arrived at the first platform and Biggs scrambled around looking for something. "Where is it! Come on!"

Wedge, the soldier in blue, noticed a small remote control device at his feet. He bent over and picked it up. "Is this what you're looking for sir?"

"Yes! Give it to me!" He snatched it from Wedge's hand. "Ha ha ha! Let's see those punks deal with this!" He flipped open a small cover to a red button, then pushed the button hard.

A loud machine like hum sounded from somewhere on the other side of the tower, followed by loud and heavy metallic thuds that shook the platform. It sounded like some big machine was walking around from the other side.

"Now go!" Biggs shouted while pointing over the edge of the platform. "Go and destroy them!"

The three cadets ran out of the tower trying to catch up to Seifer before they missed their vessel. Before they even got a few paces from the entrance, they heard a screeching sound coming from the platform high above them. They looked up and saw a huge mechanical beast teetering on the edge.

"What the hell is that!" Zell shouted.

The beast jumped from the platform and came crashing down between them and the tower's entrance. It seemed to have survived the staggering fall and subsequent impact with the hard rocky ground. The impact shook them off balance and tossed chunks of rock and dust into the air. It stood up on four limbs like a giant metal spider. In front were razor sharp pincers and all kinds of heavy weaponry. It had two main cameras the provided it with stereo-optic vision allowing for precise targeting.

"Umm..." Selphie's eyes widened with fright. "I think we should go now."

The three immediately ran up the trail only to find that the machine chased them with incredible speed. It opened fire on them from a huge chain-gun that shredded the sides of the cliff walls. The cadets jumped all in different directions barely avoiding the spray of bullets.

Squall landed behind a boulder right at the cliff's edge, the sound of waves crashing on the jagged rocks below feeding into his anxiety. He didn't dare peer over to see the fate that awaited him if he slipped. "Zell! Selphie!" He shouted for the other two to make sure they were ok. He didn't hear a response, only more gunfire from the pursuing metal beast. He stuck his head out to see where it was. The machine seemed to be searching for them. This was his chance.

Squall jumped to his feet and yelled at the robotic bug. "Over here!" He threw up both arms and tried to summon Quezacotl, a GF that dealt a devastating blow of lightning and electrical energy. But something was wrong... He forgot to get him back from Quistis!

Selphie stuck her head up from behind a nearby boulder. "Hey, look out!"

Squall barely had to time to react. The machine in front of him locked onto his form and began to charge up for an attack. Suddenly, he saw a blue light wash over his body and form a shield in front of him just in time to stop the laser that would have surely cut him in half.

He snapped out of it, and concentrated on what he needed to do. The machine began charging straight for him, but Squall had aleady begun his attack. A bolt of lightning pierced the armor and fried the delicate instruments within, causing the thing to malfunction and crash into the cliff face. It finally fell, sparks erupting from exposed circuitry and torn wires.

Squall called the other cadets over. "Come on, let's hurry. We don't have much time left!" He led them running down the trail.

The giant spider-like machine suddenly reactivated. Auto repair systems were hard at work, and within minutes, it was back on its legs and walking. It continued its pursuit of the three cadets.

They reached the bottom of the trail and started to run across the bridge. Then Squall heard the giant metal beast leap from the cliff. It landed at the front of the bridge and shook it violently, even cracking the stone support structures. "Hurry!" he shouted. He stopped for a moment and held out his hand. A bolt of lightning struck the machine again, but only slowed it down for a few seconds this time. "Damn!"

"I thought we busted that thing up!" Zell yelled to Squall behind him.

"Who cares, forget it! Just keep running!"

They raced to the other side, the metal beast hot on their trail. Zell stopped to make sure that Squall made it across. "Look out!" Zell held out his palm and focused on the machine charging towards them. Bright blue and white orbs of energy rose from the machine and shot into his arm where they were carried through his nerves into his brain. "Here!" He cast a spell on himself and the other two cadets. A bright blue shield of energy appeared in front of each of them and then vanished.

Just after he cast the spell, the machine started to open fire on them. The bullets hit the invisible shield and bounced off harmlessly. "Ha!" Zell shouted excitedly. "Now let's get the hell outta here!"

They ran through the city streets, other SeeD cadets storming from alleyways and shops all heading for the shore. The machine didn't stop its chase and rampaged though the city, tearing up the sides of buildings with its machine guns and crushing cars under its huge powerful legs.

The shore was finally in sight. Squall paused a moment to look behind him. It looked liked they lost the metal monster for the moment. Zell and Selphie jumped right off the wall into the soft sand on the beach. The vessels were already leaving, theirs was the last one still beached. "Heeey! Where's Squall!" Selphie shouted to Zell.

"Up there!"

An explosion tore through a brick wall demolishing an entire side of a building. Squall was struck by debris, most of which was blocked by the Protect spell Zell had cast on them. He was hit by a huge chunk of wall though that pinned him against the side of another building. The metal beast energized itself and fired an intense laser that cut straight through the slab that trapped Squall, just barely missing him by inches.

He stood up and ran for the beach. The machine chased him and fired the laser again. It struck the ground in front of him causing a small explosion and sending Squall hurtling over the wall into the sand.

"Squall!" both Zell and Selphie shouted together.

He staggered to his feet and shook the sand from his hair. He glanced behind him and saw the huge machine crash over the wall right behind him. He ran, as fast as he could.

Zell waved for him from the open compartment in the vessel. "Don't look back!"

The machine rose and started running too, gaining on Squall with every step. It drew closer, and closer, reaching its pincers out to grab him.

"Eat this!" Quistis shouted. She was on top of the vessel operating the gun turret. She quickly targeted the machine and opened fire. Bullets sprayed the front of the mechanical beast, punching holes in its metallic body. Squall leaped over the waves and landed safely on the platform of the vessel.

Quistis kept firing until the damn machine finally collapsed and eventually exploded into a million pieces. Even as the wreckage sat burning on the shore, she continued to fire upon it, not letting up until the vessel began speeding away.

Squall watched the erupting flames and flying chunks of metal as the hatch lifted and sealed the compartment. They made it. All Squall wanted to do now was sit and relax. This was his first time taking the SeeD field exam. He wondered if all the field exams were like this. Obviously, every battle was different, but... Somehow, this just seemed a little more intense than what was intended.

He leaned up against the wall and let himself slide down onto the floor so he could just sit and catch his breath. The vessel rocked back and forth as it sped away from the beach at Dollet. All he could think about was what they were leaving behind. Squall Leonhart survived his first real battle. Was this the kind of life that awaited him as a SeeD? He smiled to himself, and only to himself. It felt good. Yes, this is the life he chose, and he was prepared to live it.

They were still alive. They made it to the vessel in time and casualties were at a minimum. From what he could tell, not a single SeeD member or cadet was killed. They got their mission done. Or did they? Something seemed very wrong, though he couldn't pinpoint what it was.

He began to think about the whole tower episode. What did Galbadia want with the communication tower? Radio waves were useless. Dollet was being invaded because they had something that the Galbadian government wanted. Something big was about to start, Squall could feel it. Galbadia had some deep ulterior motives for this invasion. What were they planning?

And where was Seifer?

"I'm surprised you made it, chicken-wuss!"

"Stop calling me that!"

Oh... there he was.


	4. Starlight

**DISCLAIMER:**

Nope, _Final Fantasy VIII_ is not mine. Neither are any of the characters I'm afraid. Oh, wait a minute, there is this one guy, but... Well, technically, I might have to pass ownership of him, due to his "occupation" and such. So I hereby disclaim ownership of all said properties.

**Chapter IV**

Squall tried desperately not to think too much on the way back. Of course, the constant bickering between Seifer and Zell wouldn't have allowed him enough silence to do so anyway. Poor Quistis, she looked as though she were on the verge of having a breakdown. The Trabian girl, Selphie, just found the whole thing amusing, though she would occasionally stick up for the emotionally unstable Zell. Although, in doing so, she too would fall victim to Seifer's ridicule.

It was getting late. They were ordered to withdraw at 1900 hours, local time, which was seven o'clock in Dollet. The ride back would take forty minutes, and Balamb was in a time-zone one hour ahead of Dollet. That meant it'd be close to nine o'clock in Balamb when they arrived. Would they be getting their exam results tonight then?

**The fourth piece...  
**Starlight

Finally, their highspeed vessel docked at Balamb Harbor, not surprisingly last.Stepping outside into the cool night air seemed such a contrast to the humidity of Dollet. It was both refreshing and relieving to be back home. The salty sea air gently washed over the harbor from the open ocean reminding everyone how exhausted they all were.

Seifer was the first to exit the vessel, and he didn't wait around for the others. After him came Quistis who stood on the dock to make sure the others got out all right.

The lights of the harbor reflected in the water and the constant drone of the vessel's engine provided an almost hypnotic atmosphere. Rolling across the face of the full moon were dark clouds; a storm might be on its way very soon.

"Seifer?" A girl's voice called out. Standing at the front of the harbor were two figures, one big the other small. Raijin and Fujin.

The two ran up to their best friend, greeting him as he walked along the water's edge. "So..." Raijin began. Placing a hand on his hip, he tilted his head. "How'd it go?"

Seifer took his gaze off the water and reached over his shoulder to grab the handle of his gunblade. He didn't unsheathe it, just kept his hand gripping it. "Ah man, all they did was get in my way. As usual of course. I tell ya, being a leader aint easy."

Zell managed to hear his captain's remarks, and shouted out to him from the boarding platform. "Screw you!" Zell got worked up over everything.

"Safe?" Fujin asked.

Seifer didn't answer verbally, but began to pat himself down, revealing that he was uninjured and his clothing hadn't even been torn. He shrugged his shoulders with a grin, then joined his friends on a walk towards the parking lot.

The sound of footsteps caught Squall's attention as his instructor stepped beside him.

"And where does he think he's going?" she asked aloud, not expecting an answer.

Squall pointed to the APC they rode in on, as it seemed Seifer and his two buddies were heading straight for it.

"Well, good job everyone." Quistis told the small group. Though technically not in Squad B, Selphie was happy to receive praise from the instructor. "You're free for the next hour. Be sure to be back at Garden by ten o'clock. They'll be announcing the test results then. Afterwards, there will be a party for SeeD. So, till then, I suggest you don't exert yourselves." She smiled at the ever-serious looking Squall Leonhart. He was not paying any attention to her. "Ok, dismissed!"

Squall and the other two cadets started heading for the parked cars, when suddenly they noticed theirs was driving away, rather hastily at that. How did Seifer get a hold of the keys? Did he... hot-wire the damn thing?

"Dammit! Hey! Wait for us!" Zell ran after them for a second, but realized Seifer wasn't going to stop no matter how long he chased them. "Not again, man!" He put his hands on his hips and looked up to the star studded sky. "There goes Mr. Ego!"

"Don't worry," Quistis said as she approached from behind. "I'll give you three a lift, I have keys to all the vehicles."

"Thanks, Instructor." Zell scratched his head. "Hey, before we leave, do you think I could go say hi to Ma? My house is just down the street actually."

"Sure," his instructor said. "We'll meet you at the town entrance when you're finished. Don't take too long, all right?"

* * *

A train had just rolled into the station at nine o'clock. Its passengers quickly unloaded, most of them business men or SeeD's returning from their missions abroad. One person in particular seemed a bit out of place, with her cream-colored satin dress and matching high heels. She carried a small white purse under her right arm and wore a ring on a silver necklace. The air was chilly, and she was glad she had also decided to wear a sweater. 

She stepped off the platform and made her way outside the station, immediately taking in the sea breeze. It sent a small chill throughout her body and she began to curse herself for not taking a jacket along with her. It seemed a lot cooler than she'd anticipated; this wasn't a climate she was used to at all.

"Let's see..." She opened up her purse and took out a piece of scrap paper with directions written on them. "Take Main Street to the town limits, then follow Euclid Road straight to Balamb Garden. Easy enough." She looked around the lot noticing first how empty it was. Despite only being nine in the evening, it looked like everyone in this town was already in bed or something, it was so quiet.

"I don't suppose I could hail a cab in a place like this..."

She stopped a passer by as she stepped onto the sidewalk. "Excuse me, sir. Can you tell me how far Balamb Garden is from here?"

The elderly man smiled politely and pointed down the street. "Well, you take this here road all the way to the edge of town, then keep heading northeast about forty miles."

"Forty miles! I can't walk that far!"

The old man started laughing. "Ha ha ha! My heavens, you're planning on walking to the Garden? Heh, if I were you, I'd think about renting a car. Not only is it faster, but it's safer too. Them plains just swarming with bite bugs this time a year." He chuckled a bit more, then continued on his way.

Rent a car? How much was that gonna cost her? It wasn't as if she had a ton of money. On top of that, she was only a teenager! She had no credit history! Now what was she supposed to do, bum a ride off someone?

* * *

Quistis dropped her passengers off at the main gate. "Everyone, assemble in the main lobby. I'll meet you there shortly." She put the truck into gear and continued into the garage. 

Zell stretched his arms high above his head and let out a big yawn. "Huwaaaahhh! Finally made it back."

Selphie let out a petite yawn of her own. "Seriously." She also started to stretch. Both of them were physically exhausted, and it showed.

Squall didn't make any such movements, and he didn't yawn either. He was like a statue. In more ways than one...

"Well," Zell said. "I guess we just wait for the test results, like the instructor said." He yawned again, not quite as big this time. "Till then, see ya Squall!" He started to walk up the stairs toward the Garden entrance.

Selphie waved with a cute expression on her face. Something in her eyes made her look very adorable in that moment. Maybe it was the moon light bathing her soft pale skin. "See ya!" She caught up to Zell and tagged along beside him.

Squall thought for a moment. He noticed that Zell, his instructor Quistis, and even Selphie always smiled at him and were so friendly to him. They were so kind. Why? Sure, it felt good, but did he deserve it? He just wanted everyone to leave him alone. He wasn't worthy of friendship, and he didn't want any friends. That would just complicate his life, and he didn't need that. He felt a bit ill when he realized that he would have to forcefully push them all away. It made him sick for reasons he didn't understand. Maybe it was... the fact that he was willing to cause them the same pain which he feared to suffer himself. That made him selfish. Yes, he was a very selfish person it seemed. He didn't deserve to have people like him.

Yet... It was so much more than that.

He looked up to the stars; the sky was perfectly clear. He imagined himself floating into the blackness of space, on his way to visit other worlds and distant galaxies far, far away. No, Squall was not a dreamer in _that_ way. He shook his head and rubbed his eyes. Squall Leonhart was a realist. He could not just take off and leave his problems behind. He had to face all of them, eventually. Right now, his biggest problem was facing the results of the exam. A rather minor problem compared to the countless others that would surely face him in the coming days.

He took his time as he walked back to Garden. The cool night air calmed his nerves enough that he could muster a strained smile in the breeze. He just wanted to go to sleep; to enter that place he longed for so much. _"Not going to happen."_

As he walked through the main lobby, two SeeD cadets stopped him for a moment. "Hey," one of them said. "Did you hear?"

Squall didn't care, but when he just stood there expressionless, the cadet took it upon himself to continue.

"It looks like Galbadia's real target was the communication tower."

Squall squinted. Yes, he knew this. He found that out first hand, before anyone else. He was there trying to stop them from bringing it back online. That was Seifer's orders...

The other, female cadet jumped in. "But radio waves are useless. Even if they do get the tower up and running, they won't be able to broadcast anything. It's a waste of time!"

"Why? Even with a tower as powerful as the one in Dollet?"

Squall wanted to sneak away, but he stood there, just slightly curious of the topic.

The young woman put her hands up. "Don't you pay attention in class? You know that no major form of communication using radio waves has been usable for the last seventeen years, right?" She looked over at the bored looking Squall. "_You_ know what it's all about, don't you?"

He nodded. "The worldwide signal interference." Short, and exact.

"Yes!" The young woman jumped a few inches into the air. "That's right! It started without warning seventeen years ago, around the time of the end of the Second Sorceress War. That's why we only communicate online through high-definition cable."

The other cadet looked confused.

"No one knows what's actually causing it though."

"Oh." The young male cadet tried to absorb the info, and tried to think back to his lessons. "When did we learn this?"

The young woman sighed. "Oh, forget it."

Squall, having nothing to add and no interest to stay any longer, walked away and headed for the directory. He spotted Quistis already there talking with that SeeD member that was on their vessel to Dollet. Xu, wasn't it?

He stood next to his instructor.

"Mission complete!" Xu said with excitement. "I think we did a pretty good job." She looked around. "The candidates are all back safely, right? Although, we didn't realize Galbadia was after the abandoned communication tower..."

"We've just received word from the Parlaiment." It was the Headmaster's voice as he approached from the stairs. He walked over to the directory and stood with Squall and the two female SeeDs. "The Galbadian army has agreed to withdraw as long as the tower is repaired and the uplink remains operational."

"Well," Xu raised her hand and looked over at Quistis. "Galbadia is out of there at least. Though, we could've made more money had they stayed and caused more of a ruckus!" She looked at Squall, who was standing there with sheer boredom written across his face. "Hey, you did pretty well! Squall, right?"

"Of course!" Quistis quickly commented before Squall had a chance. Not that he'd actually reply if he _did_ have a chance to. "He's my best student. He's not that much of a social butterfly though."

"_I'm standing right next to you, Instructor. Don't talk about me like I'm not here."_ Squall hated that.

"Oh, hey. The results for the exam will be announced shortly. Just stick around here until they give further instructions," Quistis told him.

The Headmaster stepped closer to Squall and put his arm around him again. Squall hated _that_ even more. "So how did it feel to be out there on the battlefield?"

Squall appreciated the significance of the question, but he just _had_ to remove the Headmaster's arm. "To be out there, actually fighting..." He paused and looked at the floor for a second, then back into his eyes. "It was a good feeling."

"That's the spirit!" He slapped him on the back; Squall ground his teeth at that instant. "Just don't let it go to your head!"

"_Yeah, like Seifer,"_ he thought. Speaking of which, was he around?

He looked around the lobby but didn't see him among the other SeeD cadets standing about. He turned to look down the circular walkway a bit and caught sight of his white trench coat; he was leaning his back up against the railing. He was alone.

Squall nodded to the female SeeDs and to the Headmaster, then made his way over to Seifer, standing outside the library entrance.

Seifer heard him coming and looked up. He was mildly happy to see that it was Squall; better him than anyone else, at least. "D'you hear about the communication tower in Dollet? We would've been heroes if it weren't for that damn withdraw order." He snickered as Squall stood in front of him. "Heh. Imagine that." Even with his snickering and sarcasm, it was obvious that Seifer was down. His voice was much softer than normal, and his eyes were focused on the floor; a lot like how Squall always looked. What happened?

Quistis and Xu both came walking up, both of them uninvited. Quistis spoke as soon as Seifer's eyes met hers. She heard what he had said. "You were only looking for a fight. You had no intentions of doing what was right."

He pushed himself forward, no longer leaning on the railing. His usual demeanor returned, but Squall could see it was just a facade. He was suffering inside. Squall could see that well, for he, too, suffered a great deal within. Misery knows misery.

"My dear instructor," he said sardonically. "I'm hurt. Those are some rather cruel words for an aspiring student. Though, I suppose a mediocre instructor like you could never truly understand someone such as myself." He turned his back, where he normally would have stared her down. No, he truly was not quite himself this evening.

Quistis looked infuriated by his comments. She made both hands into fists and bit her lip so she wouldn't explode with nasty comments of her own.

Xu jumped in before Quistis might say something regrettable. She relaxed slightly when she heard Xu speak. "Seifer. Don't be so stuck on yourself. You alone will take all the responsibility for leaving your squad's designated area."

Seifer turned his head and spoke over his shoulder. "Isn't it the Captain's duty to pursue the best possible course of action? Why can't you people look beyond the politics of battle! It's different when you're out there, faced with dire circumstances! Orders change, as focus shifts! I don't regret the decisions I made! Hell, I should be _praised_ for them!"

"_Praised! _You'll never be a SeeD! Seifer, calling yourself a captain is a joke!" That was harsh, but he had it coming.

Seifer lowered his head in humiliation and didn't say anything else. Squall almost felt sorry for him.

Xu turned around and waved as the Headmaster started making his way over. She walked back to the lobby and nodded to Cid as she passed.

"Seifer..." Quistis wasn't sure what she wanted to say. The Headmaster spoke to her in a whisper, something no one else could hear. She nodded afterwards and walked back to the lobby with Xu.

He took a deep breath. "Seifer. You will be disciplined for your irresponsible behavior out there today. And I'm not only referring to your exam."

Seifer turned around, a mix of anger and sadness in his eyes.

"You must follow orders _exactly_ during combat. But... I'm not entirely without sympathy for you."

Seifer didn't react.

"I don't want you all to become machines and mindless robots. I want you all to be able to think and act for yourselves. As much as I want you all to become great soldiers, I don't want you losing your humanity. I am..." He paused.

One of the faculty members approached from the library entrance. "Headmaster Cid, you have some business in your office." His voice was the usual cold and stern voice all the faculty members had. It was like every Shumian was a clone of the other.

The Headmaster shook his head and looked down at the floor, breaking eye contact with Seifer. "There are so many issues at hand." He never finished what he wanted to say. With that, he turned and left.

The Shumian man gestured with his hand as though he were a judge sentencing a criminal. "SeeD shall not act beyond the _exact_ wording of a contract. We are not a non-profit organization. This incident will be a hard learned lesson for the Dollet Dukedom. They'll now know to be more generous when hiring SeeD. For a higher price, we would have gladly covered the surrounding cliff-side and secured the communication tower."

Seifer made fists and clenched his teeth. He refrained from speaking though.

Squall didn't have anything he wanted to say. Seifer probably wouldn't want to hear it anyhow. They were very much alike in that department.

Rather than remain to hear Seifer being scolded, he headed back to the lobby. A voice soon spoke from the overhead intercom system. "All students who participated in the field exam, please report to the second floor lobby. I repeat..." It was the voice of one of those Shumian faculty guys, so damn stern.

Squall rode the elevator up to the second floor as instructed. Immediately after walking into the lobby, right where he bumped into Selphie this morning, he was stopped by Fujin. "Rage!" she exclaimed in an intimidating tone.

Raijin was right next to her. "Fujin was sayin' that if Seifer doesn't become a SeeD, then it's all your fault. She can be pretty scary ya know!" He spoke with a gruff voice, and on the brink of laughter, or so it sounded.

"Whatever." Squall didn't waste his time talking to them and walked to the back where he leaned up against the wall with his arms folded. He noticed all the other cadets were there, two of them just came walking in. Zell was pacing back and forth, nervousness written all over him as usual. In the back stood Selphie, all smiles, _as usual_. Of the thirty cadets, how many of them passed, he wondered.

A garden faculty member stepped up from the walkway leading to the elevator. His bright white shirt and red overalls stood out against the beige colored walls. His bright yellow hat thing covered his entire face, just like all the others. "Settle down," he ordered. He held up a clipboard, undoubtedly containing a list of all the cadets. "I'll be announcing the names of the cadets that have passed today's exam. Only four of you have been selected."

Wow, just four out of thirty.

Zell looked to be the most anxious person in the crowd. His face was white and he looked like he was going to faint. Or maybe vomit. He just needed this to be over, whatever the outcome may have been.

"Mr. Tideski. Nida Tideski, please step forward."

The tall young cadet's face lit up. "Awesome!" he shouted.

"Mr. Zell Dincht. Step forward."

Zell almost exploded with the sudden relief of tension. "Oh, YEAH! _SWEET!_ YESSSS!" He jumped into the air then strutted out onto the walkway. "Oh yeah baby, _SeeD_ comin' through! Ha hah!"

Squall didn't move a muscle, except to breathe slightly deeper than normal. It took an eternity for the Shumian to call the next name.

"Ms. Tilmitt. Selphie Tilmitt, please step forward."

"Woo-hoo!" She whistled and sung a happy tune as she, too, began to strut her way to the elevator.

Squall took in one more breath and held it so as not to miss the next name that would be called. There was just one name left.

"And Mr. Leonhart. Squall. You're the last."

He exhaled loudly, but didn't show any expression of joy like the others had. He was thrilled, absolutely, but something told him he had to contain his happiness. As if he wasn't sure he deserved it. As if expressing it were a crime against his conscience.

The other cadets who didn't pass all hung their heads low and sighed. Some swore and grew very angry. Squall felt a small amount of animosity towards him and the other three. Of course, that was only natural.

The nameless Shumian faculty member led them to the third floor where the Headmaster's office was located. The office was huge; the ceiling had to be at least twenty feet from the floor, and the south wall was made entirely of glass. The view was absolutely breath taking. The office emitted a very cozy feeling with its mahogany wood finishes and maroon colored rugs. The Headmaster's desk was also a dark mahogany and made with the finest of craftsmanship.

The four graduates lined up in the front of the office while the Shumian made his way off to the side. "These are the four that passed today's exam."

The Headmaster rose to his feet and walked around to the front of his desk. "First of all, congratulations! However... From now on, as a member of SeeD, you will be dispatched all over the world, to distant continents and foreign countries. We are proud to be able to present SeeD, Balamb Garden's elite mercenary soldiers."

He walked over to the side of his desk and began pacing back and forth in front of them. "SeeD mercenaries are combat specialists. This much is obvious. _But..._" He stopped pacing and looked at the ceiling for a second. "That is only _one_ aspect of SeeD. When the time comes..."

The rude Shumian interrupted him at what seemed like a crucial point in his speech. "Headmaster Cid. It's almost time for the convening. We must make this short."

The Headmaster sighed.

"SeeD is a valuable asset to Garden," the faculty member continued for him. "Its reputation is solely dependant on each and every one of its members, including you. Handle your missions with care and with the highest priority." He turned to Cid. "Is that what you wanted to say sir?" Cid just nodded to him. He turned back towards the four graduates. "Here is your SeeD rank report!"

The Headmaster grabbed a small stack of packets off his desk and walked up to the four new SeeD members. He started with Selphie at the end. He handed her a packet with her name on the cover sheet. "Your evaluation, Ms. Tilmitt," he said with a smile.

The cute girl took the packet and saluted the Headmaster. "Thank you sir!"

He leaned a little closer and spoke softly. "I'm really looking forward to the Garden Festival! I know that you're going to just fit right in here at Balamb." He nodded to her and then moved on to the next person in line.

"Mr. Tideski. Very well done."

"Thank you sir." He took his packet and saluted just as Selphie had done.

"Do your best, even if you don't stand out. You have great potential."

Nida smiled. "Thank you."

Next was Zell. He was shaking all over, not because he was nervous, but because he was itching with excitement. "And yours, Mr. Dincht."

"Thank you Headmaster!"

"Try to control you emotions a little. I know you are a very passionate young man. You will make a great addition to the force, I'm certain."

Squall was relaxed and waited patiently for his report to be handed to him. "And last, but certainly not least... Mr. Squall Leonhart. Finally, a gunblade specialist in SeeD. I know you will make me proud."

Squall took his report with a salute, and nothing to say in return.

The Headmaster walked back to the front of his desk and smiled at the four new SeeDs. "Congratulations again. I'm thrilled to have you four as full-fledged members of SeeD. I know that you will each contribute much and make us all very proud. This ends the SeeD inauguration. Dismissed!" He saluted them. They saluted him back.

They rode the elevator back down to the second floor and were surprised to see all the other cadets still standing in the hall outside the classrooms.

Selphie and Zell started strutting around, Selphie singing some happy tune that she just _had_ to have made up. It sounded like a jingle improvised by a toddler.

Squall noticed there was a particular white trench coat in the crowd of cadets. He made his way to the group and wasn't surprised to see it was Seifer. He froze when Seifer made eye contact with him. Zell and Selphie came up behind, Zell almost frightened by the mere sight of him. Raijin, and especially Fujin, looked very pissed off. They each stood beside him as if they were his personal body guards.

Seifer smirked as the hall filled with utter silence. He slowly raised his hands, then started to clap. Raijin and Fujin followed suit and soon they were all applauding. Selphie took it at face value, as a gesture of praise. But both Zell and Squall knew it was a taunt. That animosity often masked itself in cruel ways.

* * *

Squall didn't have the stomach for such a display and immediately left. 

It was almost eleven o'clock now. There was some kind of party that was supposed to be held at eleven. After grabbing something to drink at the café, he headed for his dorm. Curfew was in effect at this hour, and all non-SeeD personnel were restricted from wandering around the Garden. The halls were eerily quiet, even for Squall. His footsteps echoed endlessly in the wide open structure. It reminded him of the infirmary this morning, when he heard Quistis's steps approach the door. Then his thoughts quickly shifted to the woman that was in the hallway outside his room. Who was she? Was she even still here?

Before he knew it, he arrived at his door, the whole trip from the café to the dorm not registered in his memory. He reached into his back pocket and pulled out a thin key card which he slid into a reader beside the door handle. The small LED switched from red to green with a _beep_ and the door unlocked.

As he entered his room, he didn't bother to turn on the lights. He just wanted to crash into bed and sleep. He unstrapped his gunblade and carried it with him into his bedroom. He turned on the light and carefully placed Lionheart in its big black hard-case for protection. The harnesses had a designated hook on the wall beside it.

He rolled his head from shoulder to shoulder in order to crack his neck and then started to unbuckle his belt. Just as he began to pull his pants down, a loud knock came from the door._ "Who the hell could that be? Get lost!"_

The knocking persisted. "Squall! Heeey!" Oh great. It could only be _one_ person. "It's Selphie! Are you in there?"

His first thought was to ignore her and go to sleep. But it quickly became apparent that sleep would be impossible if she kept knocking. He wouldn't be able to hear the crickets outside his window with all the racket she was making!

"I'm coming," he said as he pulled his pants back up. He turned the light on in the entrance hall and opened the door for her.

She invited herself in, carrying a heavy suitcase with her. "Hi Squall! So, what do you think?" She spun around in front of him for him to get a good look at the new, official SeeD uniform she was wearing. She started to pose, as if at a photo shoot, still lugging the big suitcase.

Squall didn't answer with words. His stone cold glare said enough.

Although, the hyper teen was far above such subtleties. She smiled back, blissfully ignorant of the disturbance she was causing him. "Heeey, you're coming, aren't you?"

He wanted so badly to kick her out; literally, and kick her _hard_. Lucky for her however, his better judgement always won out. Plus, he'd never hit a woman. "Coming where?"

Her jaw dropped. "What do you mean, 'where?' To the inauguration party, silly! Come on, you have to go! Here, I brought you your official SeeD uniform!" She tossed the suitcase on the floor in front of him.

"_What do you mean, I 'have' to go? Why? Because I'm a SeeD now? That doesn't change anything. Or is it because you want..."_

His thoughts were interrupted. "Go get changed, you'll feel better once you put the uniform on, I promise." She smiled from ear to ear, something only very few people could do. "I know it made _me_ feel better!"

Squall bent over and picked up the case. "Fine. Stay here."

"Well, _duh_. What do you think, I'm going to follow you into you bedroom while you change clothes? What kind of a girl do you think I am!" She was kidding, even Squall knew that, but it was the kind of easy humor he was not used to and it made him nervous. When Squall got nervous, he clammed up.

Not saying anything else, he went to his room and slammed the door.

As Selphie waited, she looked around for a place to sit. There were no chairs! She started examining everything. The emotionless dorm actually made her queasy. "Squall! Do you _live_ here! This is sooo... _Depressing!_"

Moments later, he returned, the uniform proudly adorning his handsome masculine physique. Selphie thought he looked like a hunk, and wasn't afraid to admit it. "Woo-hoo, lookin' good there tiger!" Her attention turned from the gloomy room to the good looking man in uniform.

He didn't say anything and just stared back at her with those stone cold eyes.

"All right, let's hit that _paah-tay!_"

* * *

The young woman in the satin dress finally managed to find a way to Garden, after spending nearly an hour finding someone who was willing to drive her. She actually hitched a ride with a SeeD who'd been returning from a mission in Deling. He was very social and described his mission in more detail than she cared to hear, but rather than be rude to the person so generous as to provide a lift, she sat there with a bright smile and listened to him ramble on. 

Albeit, her attention was not quite on_ him._

She had her sights fixed on the scenery, and all the bright stars in the sky. Dark clouds had begun to roll in over Balamb Harbor, but it seemed the further they drove from the shore, the clearer the sky became.

Nights like this reminded her of her childhood. The stars twinkling above seemed to connect her with the past, as the heavens were the only true constant she'd ever known. Over years long since passed, cities grew, people came and went, even the Earth itself changed in its various subtle ways, but the heavens... They always stayed exactly the same.

"Good," she quietly said to herself.

"What's that?" The driver turned his head at the sound of her voice, not sure if she just spoke or if he'd imagined it.

She smiled and closed her eyes. "I was only thinking."

"Oh yeah? About what?" He'd been recounting his events in Deling, but after realizing the beautiful girl in the passenger seat beside him was lost in space somewhere, he swallowed his pride and turned the conversation on her, attempting to get inside her head.

A place, she wasn't willing to go with him. "No, I'm sorry," she told him politely, avoiding eye contact. She lowered her head and raised a hand to cover her mouth as a monstrous smile almost threatened to release a bout of laughter. Not that there was anything particularly funny, it was just the moment and her current state of mind.

The driver made quick glances from the dark road to the on-the-brink-of-losing-it young woman next to him; his face showing in equal volumes how confused he was. "Ah... Are you all right? Did I miss something?"

She couldn't help but giggle, then quickly waved it off, staring back at him with a giant smile. Her actions sent mixed signals, as if she were flirting with the SeeD, and being aware of this only made her want to laugh more; for she truly had no interest. She couldn't explain the sudden stimulation of her funny bone, but chalked it up to over excitement and lack of sleep.

The SeeD grew a smile of his own, and started to laugh with her, though truth be told he had no idea what he was laughing about. Try as he might, the young woman wouldn't give him an answer, and eventually returned her focus to the stars. Then he noticed how truly stunning she looked in the dim starlight. He fought against an inner urge to reach over and touch her, even if just to move a few strands of her dark hair away from her distant eyes. He resisted however, and kept both hands on the steering wheel. Though the scent of her perfume was intoxicating and tempting.

Maybe... he could get her name. If he was really lucky, and played it smooth, he might even be able to get a phone number! "So, uh... I haven't actually introduced myself yet, have I?"

The young woman turned her head slightly, but her eyes remained fixed. Was he talking to her again?

He didn't let the lack of eye contact dis-sway him. "I'm Les," he spoke in a confident voice. He reached his right hand over the emergency brake between the seats in offering of a handshake to the girl next to him.

She finally broke her gaze and noticed the hand beside her. She smiled, and took it. "Jules," she said simply, then returned her focus to the stars.

Disappointed, but not quite deterred, Les tried a less humble approach. "Well, that's a beautiful name," he began, not receiving the full attention he wanted. Perhaps this next comment would lead him where he wanted to go. "You look like a princess under the moon light." Was that too much; out of context? Shit, could he start over?

The young woman, Jules, couldn't contain it any longer. A sudden snort escaped her as she tried to contain the laughter, but alas, it was an exercise in futility. So, she let it all out, bursting into laughter that threatened to split her in half.

The confident smile on the young man's face quickly retreated and shrunk to an expression of confusion once again. "Jules? What's so funny?" he asked in a more demanding tone than intended, probably his ego trying to defend itself.

Jules started to wave her hand again, and tried desperately to contain herself. Boy, this guy sure had the wrong idea. She only needed him for a ride, but perhaps it was too wishful of a thought to think that he'd remain silent about the attraction she knew he had from the start. It wasn't her intention to lead him on or anything, and she believed she'd been pretty good at keeping from sending any such signals, but then again... his was just the typical behavior of any man, really.

Finally forcing back the laughter, she apologized quickly. "No, I'm sorry! I've just had a very long day, I'm not really myself right now. Look..." she stopped herself after noticing something change in the SeeD's eyes. Her expression loosened somewhat and took a more sympathetic look for his disappointment. She felt bad for rejecting him right off, but truth was, she really wasn't interested in him, and was only there because she desperately needed a ride to Garden.

She continued where she left off. "Look, you seem like a wonderful guy and all, and I really, _really_ appreciate you giving me lift, but..."

He already knew that line, it was the same line they all used.

He suddenly felt a need to defend himself, to get out of this with at least some amount of dignity and pride. "Huh? Oh, no, you've got the wrong idea!" He waved his own hand this time, his expression a bit over-exaggerated.

She got the wrong idea? Sure she did; is that why his statement fell so flat against his expression? She looked into his eyes and shook her head ever so slightly, her lower lip pushed up in a mock frown. She didn't need to say what he wouldn't admit, his ensuing silence and lack of follow up said it for them.

"Anyway, uh... We're almost there," he said, his attention now fully on the road ahead of them. "Any particular place you'd like me to drop you off?"

She smiled, and faced front. "I suppose the main entrance will do just fine." She tried to wipe that final smirk off her face.

By the time they arrived, it was already passed eleven. The young woman adamantly offered the older SeeD some fare for the trip, but after some repeating of the words "no, it's not necessary," she finally surrendered and kept her money.

She shut the car door and took a deep breath as he drove away with a short wave. The entrance to Balamb Garden was massive and quite an impressive sight. Again, a breeze swept passed her sending chills up her back. She'd come a long way, and she was finally there.

After brushing out any wrinkles and imperfections in her dress, she took out a small pocket mirror from her purse to check her make-up and hair. Her loss of composure couldn't have been good for her complexion. Completely unsatisfied with her appearance, she frowned at the reflection in front of her. To anyone else, she might have looked just fine, exquisite even, but she saw every flaw as if they were waving bright red flags. There was nothing she could do now, however, so she took a deep breath and sucked it up. She had to go, she had to do this. For herself, for her friends, for all the people she cared about and loved.

The main lobby was so vast and cavernous, she was immediately lost before she even took a full three steps inside. It was vacant too, and she wondered how in the world she was going to find that party. Shouldn't the Headmaster here have sent someone to meet her? Would they really let just anybody waltz in without an escort?

Quistis was standing by the directory waiting for the young woman's arrival. Cid reminded her, which was a good thing because she would have forgotten.

She noticed the girl in the satin dress standing near the entrance seemingly lost in the awe of such a wide open structure. That had to be her.

"Excuse me," the young woman asked as a blonde woman in uniform approached her. "Headmaster Cid Kramer should be expecting me."

Quistis smiled. "Then you must be Jules." Damn, she was expecting someone older, maybe not too old, but certainly not a teenager. This woman was probably younger than she was!

Jules returned the friendly smile and nodded. "Yes, that's me."

"I've been given instructions to escort you to the party. Headmaster Cid will be there shortly, he is indeed expecting you."

* * *

The ballroom was huge; probably the largest room in Garden save for the first floor lobby and walkways. The floor was made of a highly polished marble that reflected a golden hue from the many lights that hung from the ceiling. Classical music played in the background, a live band performing a waltz he never heard before. Not that he'd been to many formal parties like this one. Actually, Squall had _never_ been to a _real_ party in his entire life. 

Caterers were walking around handing out glasses of champagne and finger sandwiches. The dance floor was moderately filled with couples dancing. Everyone here was either a SeeD member or on the Garden's main staff, or a special guest of either of the former. There were a lot of faces Squall had never seen before.

Why the hell did he agree to come here?

He grabbed a glass of champagne and leaned up against a pillar next to the windows. He just wanted to be left alone, that was all he asked for.

"Yo, Squall!"

It was Zell. He ran up to the antisocial SeeD, acting a little tipsy, despite there was_ no alcohol_ in his soft drink. It was all a state of mind for him.

"Sup, man! Heh heh. I guess we're both SeeDs now, huh?" He switched the glass of the alcohol free beverage into his left hand and rubbed his right hand against his leg. "Put it there man!" He wanted to shake his hand, that ever-enthusiastic Zell.

Squall took a sip of his drink and didn't even look at him.

"Hah, even as a SeeD you're still the same. Well, that's typical of you." The slight disdain in his voice was not something Squall took lightly. "See ya!" He ran off; good thing. Staying any longer might have been hazardous to his health, in a purely physical way.

Quistis led the young woman into the ballroom, the sight of which caused the girl to gasp in awe. "Wow, look at this place..."

"The Headmaster should be attending soon. Why don't you wait nearby, I'll go see if I can find him. Here, let me take your things for you."

The young woman nodded and handed over her purse and sweater, but she was too busy focusing on her surroundings to actually respond. She'd never seen a ballroom like this one before, not just in terms of size, but in decor. It was all very unique, yet still extremely formal.

Looking out onto the floor there were many couples dancing, some of them better than others. She couldn't help but search for a particular person in the crowd, but neither was he on the dance floor nor at the bar. This saddened her, but just barely. She wasn't here for him anyway, there were much important things to focus on.

"Oh... Hey Zell." Squall could hear another voice stop him from getting too far. That high pitched tone... It was Selphie. "Wanna join the Garden Festival Committee and..."

Zell was wise to cut her off. "Oh, sorry, uh... I just remembered something I gotta... do. Gotta go, see ya!"

Damn. Squall knew she'd be making her way over to him next.

"Hmm..." Yup, here she came. "Squall! Hi!" She started out innocently enough, but they both knew why she was standing in front of him. "Wanna join the Garden Festival Committee? You can help out whenever you have time. There's no pressure or anything, we just need some help getting it organized. Please?" She looked up at him with pleading puppy dog eyes.

He wasn't going to fall into this trap. Right now, he really wished he could have brought his gunblade with him. He took a big sip of his champagne, ignoring Selphie completely. He wanted her to leave. Every single time she came up to him, he just wanted her to go away. He looked into her eyes and glared an expression of hatred. The hint for her to go was not subtle.

She took it, and ran for her life without saying anything else to him. "Hey you! 'Scuse me, you right there!" Squall watched her try to snag someone else.

A few minutes passed as she stood and waited. No sign of that blonde woman or the Headmaster anywhere. How could they just leave her waiting like this? They were worse than her father was. Damn, if only she had a date. She felt so out of place, all dressed up and alone beside the dance floor. Where was...?

"Excuse me, miss?" Selphie approached the young woman with wide eyes. "Are you a student here at Garden?"

The young woman put her hand over her chest. "Me?" She almost sounded insulted. "No, no, I'm here... on business." Yes, business, that's all.

"Booyaka! Everybody has an excuse!" She stormed off in a cute display of anger.

"Oh. Sorry." The young woman watched the petite female SeeD storm off to bother a small crowd. How odd.

Now, where was she? Right, feeling so damn out of place.

She walked out onto the dance floor and looked around at the other couples. Now she was beginning to feel lonely. Directly ahead of her was a balcony, and for a moment, she thought of waiting outside, but the Headmaster might not find her out there. What was taking them so long, anyway?

Squall kept his distance from the others both physically and mentally. He was thinking about how great it would be to climb into bed right now. As he looked up through the massive skylights, he again envisioned himself taking off to explore the stars. It was such a beautiful night, even he had to admit it. The music bored him; the chatter annoyed him; the whole _happy_ atmosphere got on his every nerve. Why the hell did he come here? What purpose could his presence possibly serve at an event like this? Damn that Selphie Tilmitt! Damn _him_ for going against his better judgement.

She looked up and saw the stars through the skylights above her. So many of them, each one alone, yet among countless others. She couldn't help but parallel their existence to her own at that moment, and wondered what it was she was doing there. This place, SeeD, they were governed by completely different moral standards than her own. Although despite that, she had to remind herself, she needed their help. As painful as it was to admit, she needed them.

Then, something magical happened. A star fell from the heavens, leaving a long bright tail in its wake. Shooting stars were a rare sight, and the significance of witnessing one was something he could only speculate on. As he followed with his eyes the path it took, he noticed something else he rarely beared witness to; a beautiful girl standing all alone in the middle of a crowd.

She didn't know what event such a sign may have foretold, but in that moment she couldn't help but grow a small smile on her face. Suddenly, the sight of that shooting star filled her with a magical feeling. Truly, it was something significant, the fact that she happened to look up at just the right moment to see a star fall from the sky. What celestial force wanted her to see it, and for what purpose, she wondered.

Then, as if her question had somehow been answered, she noticed a particular soul not too far away, his eyes firmly placed upon her. How long had he been staring at her? How long had he been standing there, by himself?

He'd never seen someone so beautiful in his entire life. Squall never paid much attention though, always so focused on his training. But right now, he couldn't stop focusing on her.

Her hair was straight and black, and cut just below her upper back, streaks of blonde died at either side of her head. She hadn't done anything extravagant with it for the celebration, but Squall could certainly see the beauty in simplicity and elegance. Under the yellow lights, her dress appeared almost buttermilk, the skirt ending mid thigh. There was a single strap that looped around her neck, and hanging visibly over her chest was a silver ring on a necklace.

Once their eyes met, he felt something surge throughout his body, sending waves of fire through his nerves. He suddenly felt weak, and he knew it had nothing to do with the champagne. He didn't realize it immediately, but he was holding his breath as he stared at her.

She smiled at him, the absolute most beautiful gesture he'd ever received from another human being, and she squinted her eyes refusing to break the connection. He, too, felt compelled to return the stare. Her deep brown eyes were like windows into her soul, all he could see was something truly divine staring back at him. He hardly felt worthy to behold such perfection. No, he knew with certainty, he was not worthy at all.

Whoever he was, he was quite handsome. Judging by the fact that those capturing azure eyes of his were unwavering in their attention upon her, she had the feeling that he was just as interested. Unlike Les however, the SeeD in the car, this man had something in the air around him, some kind of invisible force she could only sense within herself. Of all the people here, he seemed to stand out above the rest. Why was he standing alone over there? Surely, he couldn't be here by himself, could he? The prospect that he might be and that she could get him to keep her company was one she could not ignore.

Raising her hand, she gestured with her index finger for him not to go anywhere. Knowing he wouldn't be able to hear her, she clearly mouthed the words, "Wait right there."

Oh Hyne, she was walking towards him.

He was frozen, and couldn't move if he wanted to. This wasn't good, a professionally trained mercenary subdued by a single look from a beautiful woman. What would others say? He had to think of some way out, fast. But, she was already there, standing directly in front of him. Dammit, he didn't even have time to comprehend her closing the gap!

She started to examine him in a playful manner, starting with the obvious scar between his eyes. She squinted and covered her mouth at the sight of the stitches as she could only guess what had happened. Bending and shifting her weight, she looked him over head to toe, then stood straight and placed a finger on her chin. "You know, you're the best looking guy here." She meant it, as was clear in her steady, sincere eyes.

Her voice was like that of an angel's. Very unique, but so full of confidence and life. Instantly, with that single sentence, she'd captured him.

He tried to act cool. He couldn't explain it, normally, he'd ask what the hell she was doing. Or he'd tell her to get lost or risk grievous bodily harm. Was it because he found her so attractive? It was something in her eyes, and the way she smiled at him. Was she interested in him? She had no idea who he was. Why was she over here? Anxiety filled his nerves and made his stomach knot. The pleasure of her company was quickly turning into revulsion. Funny how something good turns into something bad when you start fearing it. Were his fears rational right now? No, he had no idea what the hell was wrong with him.

A moment passed, and he realized he hadn't replied to her comment. Still trying to act cool and indifferent, he took a sip of his champagne. In doing so, he couldn't help but feel vulnerable in the act, his heart quickening its pace.

The young woman placed her hands on her hips and continued to smile, staring him straight in the eyes. "So. Dance with me?"

He almost choked. He had to do something. His body was beginning to betray him. He found himself on the verge of smiling, but this was not allowed. He quickly raised his glass for another sip as he turned away, just as he had done with Zell and Selphie, but... Something was wrong. He didn't actually want her to leave. He was curious of her. She intrigued him, even though they'd just become aware each other's existence thirty seconds ago! He secretly hoped she would stay in spite of his behavior telling her he was disinterested. He quickly decided to return her gaze, relieved somehow that she was still smiling at him. Hyne, was she gorgeous. What on earth possessed her to stay?

"Let me guess," she said with a grin. "You're the type who will only dance with someone you like, right?"

He still did not answer for fear that if he tried, he'd be speaking in an entirely new language. Words were as elusive at the moment as the wind was. Still, his heart beat faster and harder the longer he stared at her.

The enrapturing young woman leaned forward slightly, her eyes widened. "All right then." Raising her right hand, she waved her slender fingers in front of his face in a sort of dance that was supposed to hypnotize him. "Look directly into my eyes... You're going to like me, you're going to _like_ me!"

Squall froze even more solid than before.

She tilted her head with an expression of eagerness. "Did it work?" she asked with a playful giggle.

For the first time in his life, he felt like he could actually smile and do so genuinely. He turned his head embarrassed of his own emotions, and let out a faint laugh. He shook his head a few times, then looked back into those beautiful deep brown eyes he knew would haunt him if they ever left. "I can't dance," he confessed softly.

Normally, when a person tells another that they can't dance, it means they_ can't dance._ But the young woman's face lit with excitement as if the comment opened up some opportunity for her to teach him.

She grabbed his wrist, forcing him to place his empty glass down on the nearest table while pulling him out onto the dance floor. "Oh, you'll be fine!" she told him. "Don't worry about it, it's easier than it looks, trust me." She looked back and winked at him. "Besides, I'm meeting someone here, and I don't want to be on the dance floor alone."

Squall had more than enough strength over this woman to resist her, and though he was being "dragged" out onto the dance floor, a part of him admitted it was something he wanted. Yes, this girl was just so beautiful and enchanting, how could he have resisted the offer?

Unfortunately for him, he really couldn't dance; _well._ She stopped rather abruptly and he slammed into her, definitely sensing toes under his shoes.

She winced at him and bit her lip, but her eyes told him she'd already forgiven him. They hadn't even started yet, and he was already messing up.

The band finished the piece they were just performing and prepared for another, giving the crowd a moment to stop and applaud.

"Ok, it's simple," the young woman explained. She pulled him closer to her and placed his left hand at her waist, while interlocking her fingers with those of his right. "It's a waltz, meaning there are steps of three. It's performed in triple time."

The words went in one ear and out the other, and before he knew it, the music started playing again. He felt a hand placed on his left shoulder, then the ever so slight tug as she took the lead in the dance.

"You see? Follow the rhythm. Around, quick, quick, slow... Just like that, you got it!"

He could only stare at his feet, missing every step as he forced his body to follow hers. He wasn't dancing at all, he was tripping in style. Well, not much style at that.

Then the inevitable happened once again, he felt that crunch beneath his foot.

"Ow!" She stopped for a moment to adjust her posture and rub her toes. "That's not part of the dance mister!"

He felt his face growing redder, and redder. The whole room seemed to be shrinking at an alarming rate. What in the hell was he doing!

They went for another go, and he tried to concentrate harder. He took deep breaths and told himself over and over to just relax, that it was so simple. Hell, if he could outrun a massive mechanical spider in the unstable beach sand and remain on his feet, a stupid dance should be nothing, right?

Wrong.

He felt his partner break away for a twirl, holding tightly onto his left hand. The recoil pulled him in too fast though, and he collided with her almost sending her straight to the floor. Sensing her frustration, and the pain he caused after kicking her shins, he put his hands up and turned away. No, he couldn't do this, he was making a fool of them both.

"Oh no, you're not getting away!" She ran after him, once again grabbing his wrist. She tentatively pulled him back this time however, not sure exactly how he was feeling. If he really wanted to leave, she wouldn't stop him. To her greatest relief, he opted to try it again.

More missed steps, more fumbling and collisions with his partner, but he was determined to get it right. She wanted him to dance with her; it was the least he could do for someone so engaging. He didn't realize it, but this girl had already stolen his heart. He would not realize it for some time, not until he first realized that he actually had a heart that could be stolen.

They seemed to be doing better, but then just had to cross paths with another couple. Knocking the four of them out of step, the other guy gave Squall a hostile look. He was too stunned to defend himself, and to his surprise, his partner took his hand then stuck her tongue out at the other couple.

"Watch it!" she told them in Squall's defense.

He stared her in the eyes for a moment as she smiled back at him. Why did she do that? There was some unspoken words in her eyes, and for the life of him, he could not fully read her expression. Was it to protect him from embarrassment? Or did she genuinely believe the other couple was at fault? Just what in the world was this girl thinking? What was she feeling?

The song finally ended, but another one with a more upbeat tempo immediately followed. Squall found himself stuck having to suffer another dance, but he didn't protest. A part of him was happy at the moment. Once he finally relaxed and realized that this girl wasn't here to torture him, he found himself slipping more into the mood. His body seemed to naturally carry the rhythm, and the faster tempo was somehow easier for him to move to, as if there wasn't enough time for him to think, and instincts took over.

His dancing suddenly improved, more so than the young woman had expected. They both began taking more risks and moved much more fluidly as the music reached a climax. After successfully completing a set of twirls around each other, they locked hands and pulled each other close. The sudden proximity had them both paralyzed.

At that instant, the lights dimmed and fireworks began to ignite the night sky above them. Squall broke eye contact to stare out the skylights at the enchanting display. He never felt the way he did right then; there was something so indescribable in the moment, with her so close. So surreal... foreign... He felt... comfort. So rare was the feeling, that he had let his guard down and forgot where he was. All his training, had gone out the window.

The young woman found something even more enchanting than the display outside; his eyes, they were so deep. She relaxed in his arms and ignored the music for a moment; she could feel his heart pounding, and that made hers pick up the pace as well. As the other couples continued to dance around them, she only stared into his eyes, guessing at the depths of his soul.

He was shy and quiet, as such profound men often were, but he possessed great strength as she could also sense in his touch. As strong as he was, he was so gentle the way he held her; he was a man who was in control, even if only over his own delusions.

That idea intrigued her. He didn't dance with her because she forced him to, he danced with her because a larger part of him wanted to. The feeling that gave her, that she could cause such a disruption to a man such as him, it was like nothing she'd felt before.

And she wanted more.

Unfortunately, other issues had once again presented themselves, and she remembered what she'd come here for. "I'm sorry, I have to go." She gently pushed him away, a little too forcefully by mistake, then hastily made her way off the dance floor. She almost looked back, but the thought of missing the opportunity of what she'd come here for was at the forefront in her mind. She was in too much of a rush, and that gave all the wrong impressions.

Just like that, she was gone. And there he was, alone.

Squall stood in the middle of the dance floor truly heartbroken. Why did he feel so sad all of a sudden? He looked around and took a painful note of all the happy couples. He was not one of them. Again, he begged the question; why was he here? This is what happened when you followed your emotions, he knew that. He should have told her to get lost just like Zell and Selphie. He should never have even come to this party.

He just wanted to go. He needed some air.

Squall ventured to the outside balcony, finding it to be surprisingly small. He leaned over the edge and stared into the dark horizon. Balamb Harbor could be seen in distance, its blue and white lights reflecting in the ocean. There was a gentle and cool breeze coming from the northeast. It carried a freshness with it that was almost intoxicating, in the sense that it swept away his depression. But the light of the moon and stars sent waves of sadness through his soul. It was such a beautiful night. He was so... Alone. Heh. Squall, the loner, was feeling alone. Well, it was that he felt _left_ alone; rejected. Perhaps there was a difference, perhaps not. It made his head hurt trying to think about it.

Footsteps approached him from behind. A few possible candidates raced through his mind of who they could belong to. Out of all of them however, he did not expect them to belong to his instructor. He would have been less surprised to see the girl in the cream-colored satin dress walking up to him.

"You really are an excellent student." She spoke softly and stood beside him with her arms folded. She looked cold. "Even that dance was perfect."

Squall only slightly glanced at her, then returned his gaze to the open plains. Reminiscing in the moments he spent with that woman in the satin dress, he allowed himself a slip in his normal behavior. "Thank you," he said quietly.

Quistis did not respond, she simply wanted to spend a moment with him.

The silence annoyed Squall though, and broke his concentration. He sighed in annoyance and pushed himself off the railing, but still did not look at his instructor. "Yes?"

"So you'll dance with someone you don't even know, but you can't stand being around me?" She stepped a little closer. "Why is that?" There was a hint of jealously in her tone. Squall picked it up right away.

He sighed again. "Whatever." He finally faced her and looked her in the eyes. "You're an instructor and I'm your student. It's a little awkward when you don't say anything."

Quistis broke a smile and started to chuckle. "Yes, that's true. I was like that myself, at first." She relaxed her arms and leaned on the railing, her eyes focused on the same horizon that had Sqaull's attention seconds ago. "Oh, I almost forgot. I wonder what's to become of me?"

What did she mean?

"Squall, I came here to give you an order. You and I are to go to the 'secret area.' It's where students go to secretly meet up and talk after curfew. Well, _talk_, amongst other things. It's inside the training center."

"So what do you want to do there? Are we going just to tell everyone that they're violating curfew?" He turned his head. "If that's the case, then forget it. Leave that for the Disciplinary Committee."

She snarled. "Just go get changed. Meet me in front of the training center entrance. This will be my last order Squall Leonhart." She turned and headed back inside.

"'_Last order?' What does she mean by that? What is this all about?"_ He watched her go and tried to shift his thoughts to anything other than the party. It was hard getting the image of that girl out of his head, but if Squall Leonhart was good at anything, he was good at focusing on a mission. His instructor had just given him an order, and he was going to obey it. Even if he was doing it blindly.

* * *

He was thrilled to finally be able to remove that wretched uniform. It may have been a SeeD uniform, but he hated it now because of the first memories that were attached to it. The attire was tainted and he would probably never even look at it again unless absolutely forced to. He felt better changing back into his casual clothes and the leather jacket with the fur-line collar. 

He removed Lionheart from its case but didn't bother to take the harness and sheath from the hook. He would just carry it. They were heading into the training center, there was a high probability that they'd run into a monster while they were there. Squall hated being caught unprepared.

His thoughts suddenly shifted to the shooting star and those deep brown eyes it connected him to. _"No. Forget it."_ That's what happens.

It was very late now. Everyone was asleep except for those at the party, and the few students who made a habit of breaking curfew. Now that he was a SeeD, the curfew no longer applied to Squall. Most areas of the Garden were closed though, so there was no point in trying to go anywhere. The only section that remained open twenty-four hours was the training center. It was divided into various levels, the lower one only using holograms for monsters. However, the deeper you went, the more challenging it became, until finally, you reached an area that had live monsters roaming loose. This was where all the SeeD cadets came to train and hone their skills. This morning though, he and Seifer decided to train outdoors, in the mountain trails to the north. He wondered, how would his day have been different if he just stayed at Garden?

Probably not much at all actually.

His instructor was waiting for him inside the entrance hallway. She had changed into the same outfit she wore to the Fire Caverns, minus the nylons on her arms and the orange dress. She also had her chain whip with her.

He walked up behind her and didn't have to let her know that he had arrived. She heard him and turned around.

"Thanks for coming," she said softly.

"I came because it was an order. Why are we here?"

She hesitated before answering him. "Yes, I _ordered_ you to come. Somehow, I knew that had I simply _asked_, you would have never agreed. Though, I wonder... Was that the best thing for me to do?"

He frowned. What the hell was she talking about?

"Come on. Let's go."

Squall was tired. He didn't care what she was planning, he just wanted to get it over with. He'd follow her inside, tell all the students in the "secret area" that they were violating curfew, then leave. It would only take a few minutes. Still, he'd rather be plucking loose fibers out of his bedroom carpet.

He followed her inside trailing a few feet behind; he thought he heard someone behind them, and when he turned around, he saw a glimpse of someone running passed the entrance. _"Who was that?"_

He turned back to Quistis as they entered the training center. He was vigilant with Lionheart ready. The training center was like a jungle. There were trees and thick brush everywhere, and a dirt floor with boulders and rocks scattered about. The path led in a circle around a central grove of trees that was sealed off by a barbed wire fence. It was impossible to see what was all the way in the center.

They slowly trekked deeper into the jungle trying not to make too much noise. The last thing either of them wanted to be doing right now was fighting some monster. They came upon a small artificial stream with a metallic grated bridge that crossed over it. The stream fed into a tiny little pond that contained several types of fish. Catching them was not allowed.

"It's just up ahead," Quistis said quietly. "Still with me?" They continued walking, their guards still up.

They reached an area filled with giant stone slabs and boulders that formed a maze-like path. Off to the side, near the wall was a metal walkway leading outside. There was a chain blocking the path with a sign that said, "OFF LIMITS!"

"This is it." Quistis led Squall down the narrow hall.

At the end was an open-aired platform with a railing that went all the way around it. Passed the railing, the ground dropped a good ten or fifteen feet, and there was nothing but thick vegetation growing. There were two students, a boy and a girl, sitting on the floor off to the side, holding each other close and sharing kisses every so often. There was another couple on the other side, leaning on the railing and talking quietly.

Squall did not want to be here. It made him uncomfortable.

Quistis breathed in the cool night air, exhaling it slowly. It smelled like a forest in there. "Hmm. I haven't been here in a while," she said. She walked up to the barrier and placed her arms on top of it.

Squall followed her over and stared out at the view of the Garden, carefully leaning Lionheart up against the railing. The blue, yellow and white lights shone brightly. The golden rings that were suspended over the entire Garden were glowing and pulsing with energy. He tried not to think about anything. His thoughts would wander into areas he didn't want them returning to.

A long period of silence ensued between the two as they both were deep in their thoughts. Finally, Quistis began to move. She tucked some hair behind her ear and sighed. "What time is it?" she asked, very softly.

Squall hesitated to answer. The sound of her voice pulled him out of his own thoughts, but when the question registered, he realized he didn't have a watch. "It's after midnight," he said. It was his best estimate.

She sighed again. "Oh well."

Another period of silence. Squall's thoughts were running in circles again, he couldn't make sense of his own feelings. It was clear that his instructor was struggling with something. It was starting to become obvious why he was here. She had a problem, and she wanted someone to talk to. Why did it have to be him?

She suddenly pushed herself away from the railing and folded her arms. "I, Quistis Trepe," she began, "am no longer an instructor as of now!" She spoke with clear conviction. "I'm just a normal member of SeeD now, like you. Who knows? Maybe we'll even end up working together." She looked over at Squall to see his reaction.

Waiting forever to respond, he turned around and leaned his back against the railing, his elbows up. "Oh. Really?" He honestly didn't care.

"Is that all you're going to say? 'Oh, really?'" She seemed very disappointed in him. She was hurt by his lack of compassion, but... Maybe he just didn't understand what she was telling him. Yes, there were deeper implications, perhaps too subtle.

"If that's how it was decided, then there's nothing you can do. You have to abide by it." He didn't look at her as he spoke.

Quistis sighed, much heavier this time. She went back to the railing and stared at the stars. "Figures..." she told herself. "They told me... that I failed as an instructor. Basically, they said that I lacked leadership qualities."

An eternity of silence. Only the crickets were communicating.

Finally, she continued. "I was a SeeD by the age of fifteen. I got my instructor license at seventeen." She closed her eyes. "Wow. It's only been a year since I got it."

Squall turned his back on her. He was getting very uncomfortable. What the hell was she telling him this for? What was he supposed to do about it? He didn't _care!_

"I wonder where I went wrong," she continued, with her eyes still closed. "I did my best... That's all anyone can do, right?" She opened her eyes and turned towards Squall, seeing only the back of his head. "Are you listening!"

Squall sighed and turned back around. "Aren't you done yet?" What an awful thing to say. He knew it, but it was how he honestly felt. Burdened. "I don't want to talk about this. What am I supposed to say about other people's problems? What the hell do you want me to do about this, it has nothing to do with me."

"I'm not asking you to say anything. I don't want you to _do_ _any_thing." She raised her hand to her now fast beating heart. "I just want you to... listen."

Squall pushed himself forward and snapped, grabbing Lionheart at his side. "Then go talk to a wall." It sounded worse than he intended.

Quistis could feel tears forming in the corners of her eyes, the unmistakable sting that warned of the impending overflow. "Aren't there times when you want to share your feelings with someone! Squall, how can you be so cold?" She had to turn away from him, before he saw her tears. "It may not mean much to you, but this means _so much_ to me."

"Everyone has to take care of themselves." He took a few steps forward, ready to leave. "I don't want to carry anyone's burden." No, his own burden was big enough, right? He walked away without looking back.

Quistis watched him leave, then stared back up at the stars. She placed a hand at the back of her neck to soothe the aching tension, but it did little to nothing about the tension in her heart. "No leadership qualities... Failed instructor... Maybe they were right." She punished herself. She blamed herself for Squall's behavior. She knew better than that, but something prevented her from getting angry at him. She now had to question herself. Was it love? "So... this is what happens when you follow your heart. Figures."

She didn't bother to try and catch up with him. She just let him go. She figured it was best to stay away from him, he only seemed to bring her more pain.

Why did he have to be like that?

As she came out of the hall from the secret area, she suddenly heard a loud scream. It was the voice of a woman, and by the sound of things, she was terrified by something.

She ran through the jungle-like room and noticed Squall was rushing through thick brush towards the center of the room. "Squall!" she shouted. She hurried, as fast as she could.

When she arrived, she saw a huge flying monster that looked like a scorpion with wings. It was attacking a young defenseless woman who was crouched on the ground with her hands over her head as the monster flew around her.

Squall got to her first, and shouted to her. "Stay down! Keep your eyes closed!" He called upon the powers of the GF and retrieved a magic spell from his memory, casting fire on the flying insect. Its wings singed and burnt right off, causing it to fall to the ground, squirming in agony. It reared up and charged at him, its scorpion-like tail raised and ready to strike with deadly accuracy.

He raised Lionheart and quickly spun around, avoiding the strike, but making one of his own at the same time. The blade cut right through the tail. Quistis cracked her whip and dug the sickle deep into its back. The creature rolled over, but didn't quit. Quistis swung her whip again, this time tangling it around its wiry legs, and then dragged it through the dirt. Squall raised his gunblade and swiftly severed the creature's head.

The monster's body slowly became transparent, then vanished completely. Squall looked over at Quistis, but didn't say anything. She didn't say anything to him either.

Suddenly, two men dressed in white suits came rushing out of the brush, one of them immediately tending to the frightened woman on the ground. He tugged at her arm, letting her know it was safe to get up.

She looked around for a second, then stared Squall square in the eyes, the look of horror evident in hers. At that moment, he felt a sudden recognition. She was the woman who stopped outside his room in the infirmary that morning. What the hell was she doing here? Who was she?

Quistis wasn't certain, but she thought this young woman just said her name. No, not her full name, but a nickname... one she hadn't heard in a long, long time.

Who were these people? Squall had never noticed anyone with those uniforms in Garden before, and this woman seemed to be stalking him. What was going on?

"Are you all right?" the guy holding the woman's arm asked. He seemed to receive a small nod in reply. "You've been stung... We need to get you to the infirmary." He wrapped his arm around her back and slowly walked her towards the entrance.

But not before she gave one last stare into his eyes. Into Squall's eyes.

Quistis walked up to his side. "Who was that?" she asked.

Squall shook his head and walked in the same direction, soon returning to the cool air-conditioned environment of the Garden halls.

Before he could get too far, Quistis stopped him by grabbing his arm. "You know Squall. It isn't like everybody can get by on their own." She pushed him to the wall and made him look at her. In her comment, she wasn't just referring to the woman they just saved. "Some of us need the support of others." With that, she walked away, not looking back.

Squall stood there in the hall for a moment. Many thoughts were running through his mind, but he could only pin down one thing. He thought about what she just said to him. _"It's not like everybody can get by on their own. Some of us need the support of others."_ He scoffed at her words. "Says who?" he asked out loud.


	5. This is only a dream

**DISCLAIMER:**

Regardless of what anyone might have heard, I never once claimed that _Final Fantasy VIII_ belonged to me. No sir, it belongs to Square-Enix and I hereby set the record straight by formally disclaiming ownership.

**Chapter V**

What a beautiful night it was; a perfect end to such an awful day.Sure, things could have been worse; maybe a lot worse. He could have been seriously injured in Dollet, or even killed, or he could have failed the field exam like Seifer. Even worse than any of that, he could have had his heart ripped out by a total stranger, then left alone to pick it up. Ok, so it wasn't _that_ bad, but it still hurt.

He always took things like that so personal. He knew he shouldn't but it was so much easier said than done. To him, that girl in the satin dress may as well have stabbed him. The pain wouldn't be much different in his mind. Now came the healing. He had to just forget about her, whoever she was. See? He didn't even know her, and she didn't know him. How could it have been personal? Maybe _that's_ exactly why it hurt.

He thought too much. That was his problem.

After his little chat with his instructor in the training center, and the rescue of some strange woman who seemed to be stalking him, he went back to his dorm. Nothing was going to get in his way; the Garden could have been burning down around him and he still would not stop. Not even Armageddon itself could have gotten in his way. He needed sleep, and by Hyne, he was going to get it no matter what.

That was before Zell stopped him of course. It's always what you least expect that tends to ruin your plans or get in your way. He had a message from the Headmaster; now that they were SeeDs, they got new rooms. Squall's new dorm was now on the third level and was even larger than his current one, or so Zell told him. He'd spent the last half-hour moving all of Squall's things along with Selphie. Not the best news Squall could have heard.

Sleep. That's all he wanted right now. Finally, he was about to get it. With the window open, he listened to the crickets conduct their nightly opus outside his new dorm. Their music was sweet, sweet lullaby for his troubled mind. It was fainter on the third floor though. Dammit. He glanced over at the digital clock Zell plugged in for him. Oh good, it was only... _1:30 in the morning!_

**The fifth piece...  
**This is only a dream...

Too much noise, what the hell was that sound? That damn knocking. It was ruining what little peace he had.

"Squall!"

"_Go away!" _he shouted back in his mind.

"Squall! Wake up sleepyhead!"

Oh no. Not her. Anyone but her. O, how that high pitched voice penetrated the walls, his skull and his _sanity._

"Heeey, guess what?! It's our first _real_ mission! Squall?!"

"What?!" he finally shouted with his voice.

Selphie continued to knock even though she knew he was awake now. "We have a _SeeD_ mission in Timber! Hurry up!"

He rolled over and pulled the covers close to his chin, trying desperately to prolong his comfort as much as possible. _"Stop knocking on my door before I cut your arms off!"_ He would have loved to say that out loud. "All right!" he shouted instead. "Give me a few minutes."

"Meet us at the front gates in thirty minutes! Don't be late! Oh, and dress casually! No uniforms!"

No uniforms, fine, whatever. What time was it? Five-thirty in the morning?! He felt like he'd been run over by a pack of wild chocobos and left to die. Every bone and muscle in his body ached. His brain was screaming at him in the form of a high pitched ringing in his ears. He did not get a good night's sleep at all. The new room just didn't feel right. It was too... warm.

The walls were painted beige with a white ceiling. The carpet was a mix of multicolored fibers that blended together to create a dark tan color. He didn't want to look around, he was sure that the living room and the bathroom were just as _cozy._ Maybe _bright_ was a better word.

After taking a shower, shaving and applying his favorite aftershave, he got dressed in his usual black pants and white v-neck t-shirt. Draped over the back of his desk chair was his favorite black bomber jacket with the gloves in the pockets. Hanging from a temporary tack on the wall was his lion's head necklace and ring, which he promptly put on. He never went anywhere without them. Especially his ring.

Before he left, he had to _relieve_ himself from an entire night of damming the flow. That dam was about to rupture, too much champagne perhaps.

On his way out of the bathroom he looked at himself in the mirror. The scar on his forehead was red, but it didn't look too bad. He picked at it and felt that it was still sore. The stitches would have to remain for a while. He thought for a moment about Seifer as he swallowed a couple pain killers. How did _he_ feel about their scars?

* * *

"It's a bond, a symbol of our interlocking destinies. No matter where we go, what drives us apart, these scars will always ground us, and forever remind us." 

Raijin raised his hand as he relinquished a rather large yawn. "Oh really? You think he sees it that way too? It seems to me that it only symbolizes your rivalry, ya know?"

Seifer grinned at the brawny guy beside him. "Just eat your breakfast."

"Punishment?" Fujin asked without looking up from her plate. A single serving of scrambled eggs sat before her, the thin plastic fork she held only stirring them around. Something was bothering her, she didn't need to say it.

Seifer pushed his own tray forward, its contents empty. Satisfied, he belched with a pounding fist to his chest and finally turned to answer his friend. "Dunno. We'll see soon enough I suppose."

"Unfair," she said quietly. She continued to stare into her cold eggs.

"No kiddin', huh?" Raijin spoke up. "These people just don't get it, ya know?! Seifer here is the best, but nobody seems to notice! An' now he's-..."

"Who cares. Finish eating, I just want to get this damn thing over with." Seifer slapped his friend on the back.

"I'm just sayin' ya know... It aint right."

A member of the Garden faculty entered the cafeteria, Quistis accompanying him by his side. It wasn't so difficult to find him at this hour, Seifer usually got up early to make sure the Disciplinary Committee got a head start. Today, however, the tables have turned one-eighty on him, as he was the one facing disciplinary action.

Seifer heard the footsteps of the approaching two figures, and tilted his head to get a better view. He knew it was them before he even got a glimpse. "Right on time..."

Raijin froze mid-bite of his toast as he glanced over Fujin's head. "Ah... ah-red-ee?" Suddenly, he felt a sharp pain in his shins, so intense, he had to spit out his half chewed buttered toast and recoil in pain. "Oww! What'd I do?!"

Fujin glared at him; excessive anger was something she'd been famous for. "Swallow!" she shouted at him.

"Knock it off guys," Seifer told them. He took a deep breath and rose to his feet as his instructor approached him. "Well, good morning there dear instructor. Care to join us? Fu's got an empty seat beside her."

"Seifer," Quistis said softly. It was too early, and she simply wasn't in the mood for his antics and sarcasm. She folded her arms and stared him in the eyes. "You know what this is about. Don't make things worse for yourself, just cooperate with him."

He grinned and crossed his arms as well. "So what's on the agenda this time? Academic suspension? Community service in Balamb? Oh," he glanced at the floor ready to start laughing. He waved his finger at her as if he knew exactly what was coming. "I'll bet they want me working part-time on the janitorial staff for the next couple of weeks, right?"

Quistis remained still and silent. She was certainly in no mood today.

"Uh, cafeteria staff then?"

"Seifer Almasy, this is a serious matter. You will be disciplined severely, starting with a reduction of your academic credits and a confiscation of your SeeD weapons and equipment."

Seifer lowered his head at the sound of the Shumian's voice. Somehow he knew that his presence here meant his punishment was going to be more severe. Now he found out he was going to lose credits, meaning he would not even graduate. What else could they do to him?

"And as for your lack of respect towards authority, you will be placed in the detention center for a twenty-four hour period."

The detention center. It was not unlike prison; a cell, guards, and food slipped though an opening in the door. No TV, no radio, no books. Yeah, this was going to make his day.

* * *

The halls and main lobby were empty. Most students were still in bed at this hour, or in the training center fighting monsters. Classes didn't begin until 0800. 

Squall liked it when the halls were so quiet. He loved it when no one was around to bother him, or get in his way. He felt a kind of freedom, a relief that only came with solitude, but he didn't allow himself to get used to it. This peace was going to end, so what point was there in feeling good about it? He would only end up disappointed later on. It was better to forgo happiness, than to have it and lose it.

Outside, the air was crisp and cool, a fresh layer of dew covering the grassy courtyards. To his left the sun had barely begun its voyage across the sky, but it was already bright enough to make him want to crawl back under his covers. The twilight, along with lack of sleep, hindered his vision, but he could make out three figures standing a little ways down the lot.

It was Selphie, a Shumian staff member, and... the Headmaster.

"Heeey! Over here!"

He knew where they were, he didn't need to witness that hyper girl's blatant display of jumping and hollering. Making his way across the lot, he noticed the Headmaster was holding an envelope in his hand; probably something relating to whatever mission they were being sent on.

"Good morning Squall," the Headmaster greeted with a smile.

Squall saluted his superior then propped himself up against the concrete wall, his arms folded across his chest. No one said anything. Were they still waiting for more people to show up?

Selphie leaned over to Squall and whispered in his ear. "Zell's supposed to be here too." She got a little too close, as she quickly realized when Squall slid over a few more steps.

So Zell was going to join them, huh? Great. He could handle soldiers trying to kill him, giant mechanical spiders trying to vaporize him, but these two? Maybe he should have taken a few more of those pills.

"One more minute," the Shumian said. It was not a request for patience, but rather a deadline for Zell. "...Fifty-five seconds... ...fifty-four..."

Finally, Zell raced out of the main entrance riding a hover board. He sped passed the four people waiting for him, then proceeded to perform a few tricks in the open lot. He wasn't half bad, but he wasn't nearly good enough to be showing off like he was.

Squall rolled his eyes and looked away, refusing to pay any further attention to the childish behavior.

"Hey guys, check this out!" He stepped one foot off the side and used it to gain more speed, then performed a jump clear over the Shumian's head, incurring a wrath he had not expected.

"Get off that thing this instant!" he shouted. "T-Boards are strictly prohibited on Garden premises, have you forgotten that?!"

Zell stopped beside the Headmaster and kicked the back end of the board, sending it upright for him to catch. "Yeah, but this thing is so sweet! It could come in handy on a mission someday, you never know!"

The Shumian blew a whistle he wore around his neck, summoning another staff member from the main entrance. Grabbing the hover board from its owner, he pointed his long yellow finger at the rookie SeeD. "We will be the ones to decide that. You may be members of SeeD, but nonetheless, you are all still students at this Garden. Furthermore, _because_ you are members of SeeD, you must set a positive example for the other cadets. You must abide by the Garden rules, is that clear?"

Zell nodded in surrender.

"Confiscate this," the Shumian said as he handed it over. "Lock it up."

Zell watched with unmistakable sadness in his eyes, like a child having his favorite toy taken away by a strict parent. But there was nothing he could do.

The Headmaster cleared his throat and took a step forward. Scratching the back of his neck was a known nervous habit of his, and right now, he seemed to have the mother of all itches. "Ahem. About your first mission." He motioned for Zell to stand with Squall and Selphie before continuing. "You are being sent to Timber where your services are being requested by a resistance faction. Their city and country are currently under Galbadian occupation, and they are hiring SeeD to aid them in the resistance. That is your mission." He looked over to Squall who seemed to be rather tired. "A member of this faction will meet you at Timber Station when you arrive."

The Shumian interrupted. "This person will approach you and say, 'The forests of Timber sure have changed.' At this time, you must reply, 'But the owls are still around.' That is the password. Upon verification of your identities, you will be escorted to wherever it is they operate out of."

"Just follow the faction's orders." The Headmaster told them bluntly as he stared at the ground, his fingers once again scratching that nervous itch.

Zell took a quick look around. "Just the three of us? No one else?"

"That is correct," the Shumian said. "We have agreed to carry out this contract for very little payment." He turned to face the Headmaster. "Normally, we would never accept such requests, however..."

The Headmaster cut him off. He was smiling a bit too wide; his body language was making him appear very suspicious. "Ok, enough talk about_ that._" He connected eyes with Squall. "Well then, Squall, you're the Squad Leader. Use your best judgement given the circumstances you are faced with. Whatever the situation, keeping a cool head can mean the difference between success and failure, and... Well, you know what I'm getting at." He turned to the other two SeeDs. "Zell and Selphie, you two must support Squall and give your best efforts to carry out the faction's plans. Timber can be a hostile place with all the soldiers that are running around over there. Watch each others' backs." He saluted the three rookie SeeDs and was returned the same gesture. "Now go. You can take the train from Balamb Station. Best of luck to you."

* * *

Seifer walked between his instructor and the Shumian, his two best friends left behind in the cafeteria. Though a persistent grin graced the young man's face, he knew there was nothing to be grinning about. He was forbidden to talk, and any attempt to do so resulted in swift reprimand from either of his escorts. Somehow or another, the whole situation just amused him. 

"Do you understand what I've just told you?"

Seifer didn't look at the Shumian, but nodded that he understood. In reality, he hadn't heard a word, but it really didn't matter either way. He knew the rules, and for the sake of not getting into even more trouble, he would abide by them for the time being.

Confinement... It wasn't his first visit to the detention center, and as he figured, it would probably not be his last.

As they passed through the main lobby, Quistis noticed the activity outside. The Headmaster made mention to her that Squall and two other cadets who had passed the field exam were being sent on a mission today. She was curious as to why he was sending those particular three, especially since they had all just graduated. It seemed that a mission to liberate a city would be best tendered to more experienced SeeDs. However, as every good mercenary should, she didn't question his decision and put her trust in his judgement.

Seifer noticed them as well. That grin of his slowly faded at the realization that one of the figures outside was Squall. Was he already being sent on a mission? So damn soon?

The door to his cell was heavy wood, and reinforced with steel plating. The interior of the room was white and completely lacking windows or any form of decoration. In the middle of the cell was a small padded bench without back support. Off to the side was a small wall-mounted cot; at least the sheets on it were clean.

He was shoved inside and told that his twenty-four hour detention had begun at that moment. After relinquishing his trench coat and anything he'd been concealing, the Shumian left to catalogue his items in a storage room nearby.

Quistis lingered in the doorway for a moment as her ex-student stood there, uncharacteristically silent. She'd fully expected a heavy dose of sarcastic remarks and maybe a few rude gestures from him after the Shumian left, but he only stood still, his eyes connected unwaveringly with hers. At the time, she thought it was his way of cooperating, as anyone would think. But that truly was the last thing on his mind; for he was already scheming, and she was on to him.

"Twenty-four hours Seifer, that's all," she told him, interrupting his thoughts. "Just suck it up, you've done it before. You're only going to make things worse for yourself if you don't."

"Instructor," he said softly.

She was about to leave, but turned at the sound of his voice. "Seifer... I'm not your instructor anymore." She connected eyes with him again, the gesture enough to indicate she was listening.

"Did he really have to take my trench coat?"

She smirked, expecting something far more serious to come from his mouth. Somehow, though, it didn't surprise her. "You know the rules."

"I can see him taking my weapon, my ammunition, even my choker. But my _trench coat? _That's just plain cruel. I mean... what if I get cold tonight?"

Quistis felt a smile forming, but quickly bit her lip to hide it. "You and I both know there are plenty of hidden pockets on that thing. Don't try to play innocent."

Now _he_ was smiling, not at all afraid to show it. "Heh." Slicking back his short blonde hair, he took a seat on the bench and folded his arms.

"Behave yourself." She once again turned to leave, but as it seemed to happen so often lately, she was stopped in her tracks.

"Hold on. I wanted to ask you something."

"What is it?" She didn't turn around, her patience beginning to wear thin.

Seifer turned his head to face the wall, the featureless white paint allowing his mind to visualize with clarity the sight he witnessed just a few moments ago. "What's our buddy Squall up to today?"

She scoffed at him. "As if that's any of your business."

"Humor me. I'm about to spend the next day counting the specks on the floor, the least you could do is satisfy one small curiosity."

She shook her head, still refusing to face him. "The least I could do, Seifer, is not lobby the idea of you being expelled from this academy to the administration. People have met such a fate for less you know. You're lucky that counting specks on the floor is _all_ you'll have to endure." She finally turned around and spoke to him directly. "But if you really must know..." she would tell him, only because she knew it would add to his anguish. She wanted him to suffer more for what he did, for his whole attitude regarding the situation was completely unacceptable. Maybe, if he knew that Squall had been sent on a mission his first day as a SeeD, it would make Seifer jealous. He deserved far worse.

* * *

The envelope the Headmaster handed over contained a set of keys, three passports, and what looked like an ordinary credit card. Along with the items was a letter. It was funny how that man always avoided speaking details. 

As Squad Leader, Squall was entrusted with the keys to a Garden vehicle, along with that credit card tied to Garden's expense account for SeeD. He was given a strict limit, any overages would be deducted from his personal salary with interest. Seeing as how he had only been a SeeD for less than a day and hadn't yet received any deposits into his personal account, he figured he should pay close attention to their expenses and obey the limits placed upon him. Not that he wouldn't otherwise of course.

Once they arrived in Balamb, Squall headed straight for the train station. Despite Zell's pleas to visit his mother before heading off, his Squad Leader refused to allow it. The train would be leaving very soon, it wasn't a good idea to miss it. As rookies, they had a lot to prove, messing up on the first day would not look good on their track records.

To his sheer shock, the tickets cost a whopping 1,000 gil each, totaling at about half the price to rent a freaking car. Tickets elsewhere were considerably cheaper by comparison, but the price to go to Timber was jacked up sky high. It must have had something to do with Galbadia's current occupation in Timber. Perhaps they were lucky that they were even being allowed to travel there in the first place. Although, fortunately, border crossing itself had never been much of a hassle.

* * *

She turned again, her hand firmly gripping the hefty knob of the cell's sturdy door. With her back completely turned, and her guard down, she took a step outside and instantly felt a jerk on her left arm. He pulled her back inside so forcefully, she hadn't the time to scream as her grip was ripped from the doorknob. He thrust her up against the wall with his forearm pressing into her chest and his hand covering her mouth preventing her from making any sound. Quickly, he tore her whip from her hip and tossed it into the back of the room, coming to rest underneath the cot. 

The door slowly swung open, allowing a perfect escape, but he didn't run. Not yet.

The look in his eyes scared her more than anything she'd ever faced before. This was a side of him she knew existed, but never in her lifetime did she ever expect to see it, or actually fear for her life in his hands. In this moment, she couldn't be sure of what he was capable. That thought alone was beyond frightening.

Seifer held her there, his attention more on the doorway for a moment. It didn't look like anyone noticed yet, but it was only a matter of time.

He looked back into Quistis's eyes and applied even more pressure on her as he began to speak. "All they sent were three rookie SeeDs?"

Quistis could only nod, and just barely at that. The force on her chest was constricting her lungs and she found it increasingly difficult just to breathe. The fear she was feeling was evident in her expression. She was almost paralyzed; was Seifer really capable of hurting her? God, she didn't know him right now.

Seifer stared into her eyes, her quivering form adding assurance that he had her right where he needed her. He thought for a moment about what she told him of Squall's mission. Timber... He'd forgotten all about it. She didn't have to tell him what the mission there entailed, he already knew. It should have been him to be sent. But this place... This Garden... It was holding him back, and he couldn't allow that to be the case any longer.

He applied yet more pressure to his captive and leaned in close, his face centimeters from hers. He could smell her shampoo and skin lotion, and the sight of tears escaping the corners of her eyes gave him some kind of sick satisfaction. He felt in control, and he like it more than anything he'd ever felt before. There was a demon within him, and it was thirsting for blood.

"They're all going to be killed," he said quietly, yet stern. "They could end up fighting the whole Galbadian force. I won't let these assholes throw away her life because of their fucking greed! What the hell were they thinking, sending only three, _rookie,_ SeeDs!"

Quistis felt like he was asking her directly, the way he began to shout in her face. But even if she could answer, she'd have nothing to satisfy the question. She didn't even know what he was really talking about. Throw away who's life? What the hell did she say to him that could explain his sudden, violent snap?

The anger in his face multiplied and he suddenly shifted his arm, moving away and pulling her off the wall. He got behind her and locked his arm around her throat, his hand still covering her mouth. "I'm going out there. You can't stop me, so don't make this any harder, instructor."

He forced her to walk forward, her hands gripping his arm at her throat. He wasn't kidding, he barely allowed any air to find her lungs.

Slowly, the two of them emerged into the quiet hallway. Looking back and forth, it seemed the coast was clear. But he couldn't just run. He needed his weapon.

Cautiously, he forced her to continue walking while keeping his guard up. They finally reached the office, the door wide open and two staff members inside. They were spotted instantly as they came into view.

"You!" one of the faculty shouted.

Seifer tightened his grip on the helpless instructor as he held her hostage. "Both of you get back! In the corner, now!"

They reluctantly obeyed, afraid he'd break her neck. It was something he was trained to do, and could execute with ease. Not once in Garden's history had a SeeD turned against one of their own. There weren't any protocols to follow in this scenario.

Seifer looked around the office and spotted all of his stuff on a table in the back. None of it had been put away just yet; how perfect.

The staff stood still, but the anger inside was growing. "As of now, you are hereby expelled from this academy, Seifer Almasy! You'll be arrested and face formal charges for your actions here today!"

Seifer grinned. "We'll see about that..." he said as he reached for his gunblade.

As his hand left Quistis's mouth, she shouted to the staff with her first breath. "The intercom! Hit the switch!"

Seifer turned and could only watch as one of them ran to the desk and hit it, now broadcasting this whole event to everyone in Garden. Reinforcements would be there in a heartbeat. "Son of a bitch!" He threw Quistis forward into the Shumian, interrupting his call for backup, and then grabbed his weapon and coat from the table.

"Seifer, don't!" Quistis shouted, but he didn't look back.

He wasted no time and ran into the hall straight for the door. Before he could reach it, more staff members rushed inside. His only escape was blocked, and the others were coming up behind him. Quistis too. "Heh." Grinning widely, he checked the chamber of his gunblade. They'd removed the cartridge, but forgot about the round inside the chamber. One shot. He'd have to move precisely.

"Drop your weapon and surrender immediately!"

Not a chance.

* * *

Now Squall knew why they got him up so early. The train for Timber was departing at eight; they just made it. There weren't a whole lot of people at the station. Good. It should be a quiet trip then. 

Selphie ran up to the window in the entry compartment. The train just started to move and a voice announced their destination and arrival time. "This train is awesome!" Selphie exclaimed. She was glued to the window.

The entry compartment was just that; a small compartment with very little space, just an entryway for the rest of the train. There was nothing out there at all, just the plain gray walls and a scrolling marquee sign above the door.

Zell looked out another window on the other side of the car just as they entered a tunnel going underground. "A transcontinental railroad baby! This thing even runs under the ocean! Sweet!"

The tunnel ran under the ocean all right. It was constructed in sections that were sunk and placed together on an underwater plateau that extended from Balamb to Galbadia. It took decades to finish.

Squall didn't have much interest in it. He stood in the archway of the door and leaned against the wall, his arms folded; typical Squall behavior.

Zell pried himself from the window while Selphie remained securely attached. He tried to get her to move for a second so he could see from her side. He discovered, with much hostility on her part, that it would take a backhoe to remove her. Even that might not be enough by itself. Any attempts at persuading Selphie to move were futile, so he just gave up without much of a fight.

He walked over to Squall with a big grin on his bright happy face. "This train is pretty cool, huh Squall?"

Squall hesitated for a second. _"Who cares?"_ That's what he wanted to say. "Sure is..." were the actual words to leave his mouth.

Zell could infer what his words were trying to hide. He hunched over and fell limp in a gesture of disappointment. "Guess you're not interested."

No. He wasn't.

"By the way Squall. You have to use the ticket if you want to gain access to the SeeD cabin." He pointed to a locked door with a terminal next to it. "You don't plan on sitting out here for the whole trip, do you?"

Squall rolled his eyes and took out the three tickets. "All right," he said. He scanned one of the tickets in the reader and a message confirmed him that the door was open. "There. It's open now, we can go inside."

Selphie ran over to the door and it opened automatically for her. "I'm gonna go check out the front! Tee-hee! Thanks!" She was such a carefree soul.

"Let's go check it out, Squall!"

He shrugged his shoulders. Why not?

Selphie was staring out another window, but all that could really be seen now were the featureless walls of the dark tunnel. Still, she looked captivated and even sung one of her happy made-up tunes.

"Yo, check it out!" Zell stood in front of a door that was decorated unlike all the others. "This must be SeeD's private cabin." He tried to turn the handle, but the door was locked. "Damn. Squall, do you have a key?"

He took the ring of keys out of his jacket pocket and held up the only other key besides the one for the truck. "I think this is it." He tried it, and it worked.

Zell rushed inside. "Whoa! This is _awesome!_"

Squall followed him inside.

Zell plopped down on the couch and started bouncing around, testing the springs to their limits. He looked like a five-year-old set loose in a playhouse. "This is so cool! Couches, bunk-beds and even a microwave and mini-fridge!"

Squall stood in the middle of the cabin not looking too impressed. "I'm glad you're so excited."

Zell stopped bouncing on the couch and leaned back, crossing his legs and sprawling out. He noticed a table between the two couches that had magazines on it. "Sweet! They even have all the current issues here!"

"Great." Squall sat on the other couch and hunched over like usual.

Zell had to speak, he always had something to say. "This is pretty damn amazing. It pays to be a SeeD!" He quickly shuffled through the magazines but decided he didn't like any of them. "Hey, Squall. Do you know anything about Timber?"

Like Squall could give a shit. "I don't care." That was probably the most satisfying thing he said all morning.

"C'mon Squall, don't be that way! I wanna tell ya, man!"

"No thank you." He was getting somewhat annoyed now.

Zell was being a persistent little twerp. "C'mon, I wanna tell you what I know!"

Squall lifted his head with a big sigh and pinched the area between his eyes. _"Just humor him. _Fine. Talk."

"Sweet! All right, listen up. Allow me to explain briefly." His tone switched to one of professionalism; that was, if Zell could ever be professional sounding. "Timber used to be a country surrounded by thick dense forests. But eighteen years ago Galbadia invaded and took over the capitol. The country finally fell after several battles with the Galbadian army, so now Timber is under Galbadian occupation. It's said that there's a whole bunch of resistance factions there, big and small."

Squall glanced over at him slightly when he didn't continue. "And?"

"Nope, that's it."

He sighed again and returned to his hunched state. "Well thank you for that insightful history lesson, Mr. Know-it-all-Zell."

Zell leaned back with his hands behind his head. "Hey, no prob!"

Just then, Selphie walked in. She didn't look too good; like she was getting sick or something. She tilted her head to one side and looked like she could barely stand. She was in a daze. "I'm... not feeling well..." Her voice was not the same. She really seemed to be ill. Was she prone to motion sickness? Why didn't she say anything earlier?

Squall was slightly concerned. He stood up and walked over to her. "You should get some rest if you're tired."

She stared at the floor and bobbed back and forth like a buoy in rough seas. "I'm sooo sleeepy..." She suddenly grabbed the back of her neck and cringed in pain. "Ahh!"

"Are you okay?" Now he was getting _very_ concerned. She looked like she was about to pass out, but what the hell was causing it?

Zell began to yawn. "Hey. What the hell?! What's that pain... I feel... tired... too..." He became incoherent and fell back into the couch unconscious.

Selphie curled up on the floor and closed her eyes.

Before Squall could ask either of them what was going on, he felt it too. A sharp pain in the back of his skull spread like fire; waves of heat surged through his nerves. He grabbed the back of his neck in agony just as his vision became tunneled and blurred. _"What the hell is going on?! What is this?!" _He lost his strength and ability to stand and collapsed on the floor, seeing only darkness when he hit. _"Ugh, make it stop!"_

* * *

It was cool. Peaceful. The air smelled like grass and trees; a forest. He could smell smoke and burning wood. All he could see were bright orange hues. So he opened his eyes. No, not _his_ eyes. 

"_What the hell?!"_ He was in a forest, but it wasn't _him_ exactly. He was dressed in a blue and silver uniform, with body armor covering his chest and limbs, and a machine gun strapped around his shoulder. He was dressed like a Galbadian soldier!

There were two others with him. There was a thin black man who had two knife-like apparatuses attached to the backs of his hands; weapons of some kind. Also, there was a big brawny guy who must've been at least seven feet tall. He carried a huge steel anchor on his shoulder, the tip of which was pointed like an arrow and sharpened like a razor. Who were these people? Where was he?

"Uh, Laguna?" The thin black man said.

Squall couldn't control the body he was in. Was this Laguna? Was_ he_ Laguna?

"Did you feel that just now?" His voice was higher pitched than the average male's. He even looked kind of feminine. His hair was braided to his head and two thin curly locks hung down the sides of his face.

Squall could only think to himself. He was not able to control this body at all. _"Is this a dream?"_

The brawny guy started to speak. He was a huge man, though his voice presented a child-like mentality. "Do you guys... hear something?"

The three Galbadian soldiers ran through a path in the woods; there were fires everywhere. It looked like a battle had taken place recently. Maybe it was still going on. The sun was high in the sky, it must've been around noon.

They came to a small stream and ran across it without worrying about getting soaked feet. They continued on until they reached a clearing; there were more fires raging in the grassy knolls off to the sides of the trail.

The big guy started to speak again. "Hey, aren't we here to fight a war? Against the 'almighty' Timber army?"

The thin man concurred. "Yeah, so why are we wasting our time in these woods messing around with all the animals? Laguna, do you know where we are?"

The leader of the trio, Laguna, stopped and turned around. Squall was forced to do the same, seeing the world through this man's eyes. "Well you see Kiros." He looked over at the thin man. "It's just that... uh..." His voice was that of a passionate man; someone with confidence. He spoke clearly. "Hmm." He seemed utterly confused however.

The thin man sighed. "Don't tell me we're lost again."

Laguna scratched the back of his head with a nervous smile. "Anyway, we're goin' home! Deling City, here we come!" He ran off down the beaten trail.

The thin man, Kiros, looked over to the big muscular soldier standing next to him. "Ward?" he said with a smirk.

He nodded. "We're lost."

They ran after their leader.

Laguna kept running until he found a military armored truck blocking the path. He checked around and didn't see any other soldiers in the area, so he climbed into the driver's seat and started the engine. The keys were just sitting in the ignition. "Get in!" he shouted to his comrades.

Squall was so confused. What the hell was going on? Who were these people? It had to be a dream, but... It wasn't like any normal dream he'd ever had before. He was very conscious of everything around him, it was like his spirit was trapped in this other man's body; this Laguna, a Galbadian soldier.

He didn't remember the trip, or even leaving the forest. They just _arrived_ at some city; it must have been Deling. Squall didn't know how they got there, but that wasn't what really mattered right now. It was well into the evening now and the stars were out; the trip must have taken all day. The moon was full too. Wherever they were, it was far from that forest.

The city was bustling with activity. There were people crowding the sidewalks and city busses hogging the lanes. Laguna drove the armored truck straight into the city and parked it in a rotary right in front of a very large terminal leading to an underground train station. He blocked the street and caused a pile up of cars and busses behind him.

The three soldiers departed and stood in the rotary next to a large fountain that was in the center. People were beeping their horns and shouting profanities at them.

"Hey, you can't just park in the middle of the street!" Ward shouted.

Laguna grinned. "Chill man, it's cool."

"Move the fuckin' truck ass-wipe!" some guy shouted from his car window.

A woman stuck her head out as well. "Hey pal, what's the freakin' deal?! Move it!"

The shouting never got through to him though. He just ignored it completely.

"I'm gonna rip you a new...!"

"So," Laguna said to his comrades. "How's about a drink?!"

"You son of a bitch! Who do you think you are?! Just cuz' you're a soldier doesn't give ya the right to be a prick!"

"Dammit people! Just chill out!" Laguna turned back to his comrades. "Ahem. So? How's about it?"

"_Are these people serious?"_ Squall could only think.

"Whatever," Kiros said. He was ignoring the mob as well. "Like you drink. We already know you're not in it for the drinking. Just admit it!"

"Yeah, you'll just drink some juice like a weenie." Ward smirked at his superior officer. "Then you're gonna sit and gawk at the piano lady!"

Laguna was hurt. "Don't call her the_ 'piano lady!!!' _She has a name!" he shouted. He turned his back to them and stuck his nose in the air. "Forget it! I'm not going now!"

"Sure," Kiros said. "We know you will. Meet you there, _weenie._"

The two soldiers headed off into the city laughing while Laguna pulled the key for the truck out of his pocket.

"Are you gonna move that thing, or what?!" They were getting pretty angry, and a few even got out of their cars.

One woman even threw a shoe at him. "Get over here you jerk! I'll drive this car right up your ass!" She was not a very polite sounding woman. Then again, Laguna wasn't being all that polite either.

He purposely threw the key into the fountain and ran. "Sorry! It _broke down!_ Gotta go, duty calls!" Did he get some kind of pleasure from that? Perhaps, a little. Ok, yes, it was _hilarious._ He knew he had to run fast though, that mob was about to riot.

His destination; the Deling City Hotel.

The next thing Squall knew, he was walking into a lounge with tables and a small stage. It was dimly lit and smelled of sweet cigars. The carpet was dark brown and the walls were a few shades darker than white, but not gray. There was a bar off to the side with stools and a small TV hanging from the ceiling. It was not currently turned on however.

The stage only rose a few steps from the main floor and was made of a highly polished white marble. The stairs at the front were covered by a red velvet rug lined with frayed golden braids. Sitting on the stage was a single grand piano, black, with a small cushioned bench in front of the ivories.

The three soldiers were greeted by a woman wearing a short sky-blue skirt and a black apron over her white collar dress shirt. "Welcome back!" she said. She recognized them immediately; they were regulars. "You're usual table is ready."

"_Now where am I?"_

Laguna heard a voice inside his head. He couldn't make it out though. It felt weird, and he swore that somehow a Guardian Force was there as well. But how was that possible?

"What?" he asked out loud. The waitress looked at him confused.

"Is something wrong?" Kiros asked.

"I... Don't know." He shook his head and tried not to think about it.

The waitress kept smiling as if there was nothing wrong. "If you would like, your usual table is ready sir," she repeated, in case he didn't hear her the first time.

"_I just want to get out of here."_

Laguna looked up at the ceiling. "Huh?"

Kiros put his hand on his shoulder. "Are you ok?"

"Uh... I'm not quite sure, but... I think I just heard someone's voice."

Ward frowned. "Hey, wait a second. Is your head buzzing?"

Laguna looked at him, his eyes wide with confirmation. "Yeah, yours too?"

"Yeah, ever since we were in Timber."

Kiros nodded. "Me too actually..."

Ward smiled and threw his hands in the air. "Hey, we're just tired, that's all. We'll be fine after a couple rounds of beers! Or maybe a few..."

The waitress tried not to ask any questions; their behavior was... odd. "Um, this way."

"_Where's the exit?!"_

"Shut up, _puh-lease!!!_ Argh!" Laguna couldn't take it anymore; he even stomped his foot. "What the hell _is_ that?! I feel like someone is whispering in my ears! It's freakin' me out!"

The waitress was frightened and ran away. "Sorry sir! P-please... sit down. I'll be there to take your order in a minute!"

Laguna slapped himself on the forehead. "Ugh. Sorry!"

The three soldiers walked over to their table while the waitress stopped at the bar for a moment. She waited for them to take their seats.

"At ease men," Laguna said. "We're goin' all out tonight, right boys?! Yeah, tonight's the night!" He was getting all excited about something.

The waitress returned. "May I take your order?"

"The usual for me, thanks!" Laguna said.

Kiros smiled. "Me too."

"Keep 'em comin'!" Ward said while rubbing his gigantic hands together.

The waitress nodded. "One cranberry and club-soda cocktail, and two beers, coming up!" She hastily made her way back to the bar.

"So Laguna. Julia should be making her entrance soon." Just as Kiros said that, a woman wearing a scarlet silk dress, with spaghetti straps and high heels walked onto the small stage. "Hey, there she is! You goin' for it tonight?"

"Yeah, go for it!"

Laguna looked angry. "Whatever man! Can't you see she's working?!"

The pianist, Julia, started to play a beautiful song. It was low key at first, but soon ventured into the realms of higher octaves, though it never left its beginning key signature, and it never increased in tempo. She kept it very soft. It was the perfect melody to end such a long and exhausting day.

She appeared like a goddess in that dress, her short dark brown hair adding the perfect contrast under the dim studio lights. Beautiful was not a worthy enough word.

Kiros sat at the edge of his seat. "Don't go back on your word now. C'mon, just go wave to her! Don't be such a wuss!"

"Give me a break..." Laguna buried his face in his arms.

Ward leaned forward. "We know you will. _Eventually._ Just don't wait too long like last time, or you'll miss the opportunity again!" He rose his mug for a mighty gulp.

Laguna took a deep breath and stood up. They were right, he had to just do it. He was going for it. He nodded to his fellow soldiers and proceeded into foreign, and potentially hostile, territory. Slowly, he walked over to the front of the stage. He was just a few yards away from the woman playing the piano. Everyone else in the lounge moved to the edge of their seats, and there was one big red soldier who looked particularly upset. He pointed to Laguna then made a slashing motion across his throat. What was he trying to say? He couldn't be serious, could he? Better not piss that guy off.

He stepped up onto the stage and heard a few soldiers gasp and start whispering to each other. What was the big deal? To Laguna though, it was a _huge_ deal. "Ahh," he thought to himself. "To be this close to Julia."

"_Is this guy serious?"_ Squall didn't understand what the big deal was at all.

Julia connected eyes with him for a moment. "Uh oh... My leg's cramping up!" He grabbed his right thigh as a painful twitch tightened and contorted one of the major muscles. It cramped up all right; pretty much seized function altogether. "Arghh!" He had to limp away from the stage still holding onto his thigh. He saw Kiros and Ward waving for him to go back. That's right. He came this far, he had to go through with it. He took a few painful steps back to the stage and saw Julia smile at him. He lifted his hand in a pathetic wave and nodded, then practically crawled back to his table. Kiros and Ward were in full-blown laughter. The waitress was delivering their drinks, and she too couldn't help but laugh as she walked back to the bar.

"_Sad..."_

"Good work Laguna!" Kiros cheered.

"Mission successful!"

Kiros gestured to his seat. "Here, take a load off."

Ward tried to stop laughing. "I didn't actually think you'd do it! Ha ha. Our popularity rating's gone up a point I think. Everyone here is stunned!"

"Yeah," Kiros agreed. "But you cut a pretty pitiful figure up there. I'd say you were about a negative three on the manliness scale! Ha ha ha!"

"Say what you want!" Laguna shouted back at them. He sighed and stared over at the angel playing on stage. She just finished her song and was taking a small bow. "Julia sure is beautiful..." He turned his attention back to his buddies and started drinking his juice.

As Kiros was watching Julia, his eyes suddenly went wide. "Uh..." He elbowed Ward, who almost chocked on his beer. "Hey Laguna, we're taking off now." They stood up and started to leave.

Laguna stood up too. "Hey guys! What's the rush?!"

"Tonight's on us. Just stay a while and relax." Kiros pushed him back down into his seat and then walked away towards the bar with his towering friend.

"May I?" The voice of an angel.

Laguna turned around, and turned to stone. "Ah!" His leg suddenly cramped up again and he sprung to his feet in a paroxysm of fear. "Holy crap!" Julia was standing beside him. She was _talking_ to him! Ok, it was just two words, but more were going to follow! This was insane, he must have fallen into another dimension or something!

"Did I interrupt anything?" she asked in a soft, sweet voice. Her tender expressions eased his mind, but only put more strain on his heart.

Laguna started to shake. "N-n-n-n-not at all." He was stuttering horribly now. He offered her his seat. "P-p-p-please... s-sit down." He was looking like a fool. "Oh man, oh man," he thought. "It's really her! What do I do?! Kiros? Ward? _Help!!!_ What do I say?!" He connected eyes with her; his were wide, but not exactly attentive. He wasn't sure if his brain could function well enough to actually hear _and listen_ to her at the same time. "Man, she sure is gorgeous..."

"_What's this guy thinking? Sit down already! Better yet, just leave!"_

He finally sat down across from her, ignoring the whispering sounds in his head, but he only stared at the table.

"Are you ok now?" Julia asked him.

He didn't look up and barely registered her question. "Kind of..." Nope, his brain was committing suicide.

"How's your leg?"

That finally snapped him out of his thoughts. "L-leg? Oh, this?!" He tried not to look her in the eyes. It was scary for some reason. "Y-yeah, it's fine. Don't worry about it. It always cramps up when I get nervous." He immediately coughed after saying that. He wanted his cranberry cocktail, but it was in front of _her_ now; a location he wouldn't dare reach over to.

"You were nervous?"

"Yeah. I still am kinda..."

Julia took a deep breath and smiled. "It's ok, you can relax. You don't have to get nervous around me."

"Oh, sorry." Funny how he was apologizing for having anxiety. That itself was a nervous reply.

"Say." Julia looked around for a moment then leaned closer to him and spoke in a soft, voiceless whisper. He could clearly make out the sound of her tongue form the words she spoke. Again, for reasons unknown, this was scary. "Would you like to go somewhere more private? I have a room here, we can go talk..."

Laguna shot up to his feet. "I-in your room?!" He didn't mean to shout that. Everyone in the lounge heard him; they were sure to get the wrong idea now.

Julia looked around again. "Well... It's hard to talk freely and openly here. Everyone's listening in." In fact, everyone was now huddled around their table like the two were putting on a show for their entertainment. Julia continued, despite all the prying eyes and ears. "If you'd like to, please come by. I've been wanting to talk to you for quite some time now."

Laguna didn't respond, and just stared at the wall to his right.

"You don't want to?"

"Of course I do!" He wasn't going to let this opportunity pass him by, he was just... completely lost in unfamiliar territory.

Julia stood up. "Then I'll go ahead and wait for you. Just ask for my room at the main desk, all right? See you soon." She smiled at him and walked towards the hotel lobby.

"Am I dreaming?" Laguna asked himself.

"_This is only a dream, this is only a dream!" _Squall shouted.

"No, this can't be a dream!"

"_This is too strange to be a dream..."_

"Julia... She wants to talk to _me_?"

"_This guy talks to _himself_ too much."_

"And just the two of us. Get it together, Laguna!" He slapped himself on the forehead and proceeded to rub his eyes.

"_Whatever."_

He paced over to the bar but didn't sit or order anything. "I always screw up by talking about myself too much. It's always been like that, every single date I've ever had! But not tonight!" His voice was reaching a shout, and the other people at the bar were getting a bit nervous. "Tonight, I'm all ears for Julia! I'll use my _manly charm_ and help Julia with her problem! Yes!"

"Sure bub, whatever you say."

"Huh?" Everyone was staring at him. "Oh, sorry! Excuse me!"

"Hey!" It was that big red soldier. He put his hand on Laguna's shoulder and forced him to turn around. "I'm Julia's private body guard. I saw that little stunt you pulled back there!" The anger in his voice was frightening. "Pretty impressive for grunt like you! Better watch it! Anything happens to Julia, and I'll personally have your head as a hood ornament!" Sick, real sick. "Yeah, I'll fix you. I'll send you off to war a million miles away!"

Laguna stepped back, careful not to excite the already agitated soldier. "Ok then..." He ran for the lobby without looking back.

Now Squall was in a hotel room, no recollection of how he got there. The walls were painted white and had giant embossed murals above the three beds. There were generic looking paintings hanging up as well. On the table was a vase full of flowers and several books of sheet music. Next to those was a bottle of wine chilling in some ice.

Julia was sitting on the edge of the first bed. "Thanks for coming," she said. "I hope they didn't give you any trouble."

"N-no. Uh, thanks for inviting me." Laguna stood by the door, still shaking. He didn't know if he wanted to stay or dive out the window; which, by the way, had a gorgeous view of the city. They were on the fourth floor, and in the distance there was a huge stone archway over the street. That was the center of the city, one of its proud monuments.

"Have a seat," Julia told him politely.

He shrugged his shoulders and walked over to the bed. He sat for maybe two seconds then had to get back up. He was too uncomfortable sitting next to her. He walked to the opposite end of the room and tried sitting by the window. This time, he sat for maybe _three_ seconds and then had to get up again. He was just too uncomfortable sitting down in general, it didn't matter where.

Julia giggled as she watched him pace around the room like a scared little puppy. He walked over to the door and she thought for a moment that he was going to leave. "Going so soon? We haven't even talked yet."

He sighed and ran his fingers through his long brown hair. "No, I'm not leaving. I just, uh... I'm a _huge_ fan of yours and... well... I'm just so nervous, y'know?!"

"_I think you're petrified."_

She smiled at him, hoping it would help him relax. It had the opposite effect though. "You really like my playing? So that's why you come to hear me play so often."

Laguna was shocked. "Y-you know? You see me all the times that I come here?!"

She nodded. "You're always sitting at the same booth, always smiling while you listen to me play. At first, I thought you were just like all the others, only seeing me for my looks. But I'm more than just the dress you know. I think you see that." She stood up and walked over to him, just inches away. She could feel the heat radiating off his body. That soldier uniform and armor couldn't be helping him. "You have beautiful eyes. Though, they look quite scared at the moment."

He had to create more distance between them. He was going to pass out.

"Don't worry," she said. "I'm not going to pluck'em and eat'em! I just want to talk, while staring into those eyes." She quickly turned to the bottle of wine that was chilling on the table. "Would you like a drink? Wine perhaps?"

Laguna could barely move. He could barely speak. "I must be dreamin'..."

Time lapsed and Squall did not experience any of it. How long was it? An hour? Two? Laguna was standing in front of Julia who was sitting at the edge of the bed again. He was holding an empty glass in his hand and he had removed the top portion of his uniform. He was wearing a white t-shirt and a silver chain necklace with dog-tags.

"Yeah, I don't like all the fighting and stuff, but you get to travel around, see the world, you know?" He was talking with ease now. He didn't seem to be so nervous anymore. "I love seeing new places. And it's fun 'cuz Kiros and Ward are always with me! We've had some good times, let me tell you! Hey, we should all go out drinking some time! What d'ya say?" He was acting very freely now, not a shadow left of his former self.

Julia gazed into his eyes, she was enjoying his stories very much. She didn't stop him or interrupt him at all; she was really happy to see how passionate he was about all the things he'd experienced.

"And, uh... So, what was I just talking about? Oh yeah, so I want to resign from the military and become a journalist! That way I can tell people about all the things I've seen on my travels."

"_He's already loosened up. How many glasses did it take?"_

"So, like, the other day," he went on, "one of my articles made the Reader's Column. Pretty cool, huh? Yeah, that was _way_ cool."

Julia smiled. "I'm happy for you."

"Oh yeah, and then there was this one time...!" He was jumping from topic to topic without any real transition between them. It was a wonder that Julia was able to comprehend anything he was talking about. He was talking so much.

Again, time passed, but for Squall it did not register.

Laguna was lying on the bed, snoring. He fell asleep. Squall could only see the darkness behind his eyelids. _"Wake up!"_

Laguna opened his eyes and rubbed his forehead. "Huh?"

Julia was sitting on the next bed over; she was watching him nap. "I'm sorry. I didn't realize wine made you sleepy." She stood up and leaned over him. "You look so adorable when you're asleep!"

"Ugh. How'd I...?" He sat up and rubbed his eyes. "Sorry. I must've dosed off talking on like I was." He sighed for a moment and tried to think about where he was. Once it all came back to him, he looked over to Julia; she never stopped staring into his eyes. "Um. S-so, tell me. Tell me more about yourself. Do you have any dreams for the future?" He realized his mistake earlier. He spent the whole time talking about himself. Now, it was her turn.

Julia walked over to the table. "Me? I... I want to sing. Not just play the piano. I want to sing, too."

Laguna hopped to his feet. "Oh, I'd really love to hear it!"

She looked at him with a shy smile. "But I can't. I'm no good at writing lyrics." She laughed modestly.

"Hmm. Well, that must be tough. I know, I always get writer's block when I try to write an article. I imagine song lyrics are even more difficult."

She was quick to bounce back with optimism though. "But thanks to you, I think I may be able to come up with something."

"Thanks to me?"

"Yes." She stood close to him again. "The many faces you've described for me. Times when you were hurt, worried... or felt pain deep within you. Your smile, your voice, your face, your eyes... _Especially_ your eyes. You've given me something, a part of you. I think I can come up with something thanks to what you've shown me. I think I may be able to write a song."

Laguna understood that as a huge complement. "Wow. I _must_ be dreamin'..." The only words he could utter.

Julia took his warm gentle hand and lifted it up, holding it close to her heart. "You're not dreaming." They both stared at each other for what seemed like an eternity.

Squall was getting angry. _"Are they for real?"_

A loud knock suddenly came from the door. "Laguna!" It was Kiros. "We have new orders! Meet outside the Presidential Residence on the double!"

Julia let his hand go. "Can we meet again?"

Laguna scratched his head and grinned widely. "Of course! I have to come and hear you sing! Sing the song that I helped inspire!"

Julia smiled and leaned closer to him. She could feel the heat from his body return, as they slowly began to close the gap. She wrapped her arms around his muscular torso and pulled him closer. She felt his hands at the small of her back doing the same.

Laguna was getting nervous again. He was acting on instinct now; his brain was having a short circuit at the moment. Was this really happening? She smelled like jasmine; so beautiful. Their faces came within centimeters of touching; their skin flushed with blood and their lips growing more and more sensitive by the second. They both closed their eyes...

"Ouch! My leg!"

"_Damn. That sucks."_

* * *

Darkness. The only sounds were that of the train cars rocking side to side on the tracks, clanging and clicking as they went. There was a smell. It was strong. It smelled like... a dusty carpet. 

He opened his eyes and found himself face down on the floor. Selphie was kneeling down next to him. He pushed himself up and rose to his feet. His head hurt, but it was not nearly as bad as before, when he passed out. Both Selphie and Zell were already awake.

He found a lump in his throat and felt a bit nauseous. "Were we... all asleep?" His head was throbbing. "What happened?"

Zell looked around the room. "Maybe someone released some sleeping gas, or some kind of nerve agent." He noticed two vents near the ceiling. "There's lots of people who resent SeeD after all. We aren't exactly on anyone's list of allies, unless their willing to _pay_ for our friendship. Know what I mean?"

He had a point. "Maybe," he said. _"Better be more careful."_

Selphie patted herself down and checked all her pockets. "Am I missing anything? You guys missing anything? Anyone hurt?"

Both Squall and Zell started to check themselves as well. Everything seemed to be in order, no missing items or strange wounds.

"I don't think anything's missing," Squall told her.

She pushed her hair behind her ear. "Phew. What a relief! Everything's cool with me!" She walked over to the couch next to Squall and sat down. "Hee! Guess what? I had such a nice dream!"

Squall lowered his head. _"I had a dream too, Selphie. It was anything but 'nice' though."_ He walked over to the bunk-beds and leaned against the support beam for the top bunk. _"I dreamt I was a moron. A pathetic loser in the Galbadian military."_ He shuddered as he recalled the events in the dream.

The conductor's voice came over the intercom system. "Attention passengers. We will be arriving at Timber Station momentarily. Please gather your belongings and be sure not to leave any personal effects behind."

Selphie was beaming with glee. "Seriously though, Sir Laguna was sooo cute! He was so cool too!"

"_What did you just say?!"_

Zell shot her a look of pure confusion and amazement. "Hey! What did you say?!"

"I said, Laguna was so cute, I just wanted to squeeze him till he exploded! He was a soldier in my dream."

Zell's face went white like a ghost's. "There was a Laguna in my dream too! He's a soldier from Galbadia, right?! They were lost in this forest, then found a truck and drove to some city! I think it was Deling."

Before Selphie could answer, Squall jumped in. "Laguna, Kiros and Ward..."

"Hah?!" Zell grabbed his head before it popped.

Squall bit his lip for a second. "They went to some hotel lounge to hear a woman named Julia play the piano. Laguna..."

"That's it Squall!" Zell was freaking out.

Squall did not show any signs of bewilderment, though he was deeply confused and very disturbed by the situation. "That's what?"

"I was Ward! Damn, that guy was _huge!_"

Selphie clapped her hands together. "And I was Kiros!" She shook her head. "This is sooo weird. I don't think there's any way we can understand this..."

"_I guess you're right."_ Squall looked down at the floor for a moment then addressed his fellow SeeDs. "We'll put this incident on hold for the time being. I'll report it to the Headmaster upon our return to Garden. If indeed it was an attack from an unknown third party, I'm sure an investigation will ensue. In the meantime, it's best we just concentrate on our mission in Timber, agreed?"

Both Zell and Selphie nodded to him.

Zell stood up and started throwing practice punches like he so often did. "Guess... we'll be there soon, eh? Here we go!" He threw a few more and then took a deep breath, filling his lungs to their maximum. "Psyche yourself up, baby!" He left the cabin, protruding his chest in a manly and confident way.

Selphie stood up too and stretched with a big yawn. Well, it was big for her. "Ahhh... Still sleepy." She skipped on her way out.

Squall stood in the middle of the cabin for a moment. Something wasn't right. No, nothing seemed right at all. It was possible that someone released some kind of gas or chemical that caused them to pass out like they did, but what of the dream they had? It appeared all three of them were experiencing the same event, each in a body that was not their own. How was that possible?

It made Squall nervous. It made him very uneasy. His mission hadn't even started yet, and already, things were going wrong. Or at least, things were happening that he didn't plan for. How could he have? No, he should have considered the possibility of an outside attack, no matter how subtle or unexpected. It was his fault. He was once again caught off guard; unprepared. It won't happen again.

* * *

**Quick note from the author:**

Ah, well I hope this chapter came out all right. Truth be told, it was rather difficult for me to plan because it conflicted with something I already have planned for later on. But the later on thing is too good, and I didn't want to change it. So I had to revise a lot of tiny little elements here. Anyway, it's not worth going into detail about, but please let me know if something in this chapter seems to be... off. Also, I hope it doesn't come across sounding lazy. I want to stay away from being personal, but this was one crazy month for me and it took me by complete surprise, so my concentration has been way down. Things are finally settled down again though, and so am I. I feel like celebrating something...


	6. Strength and Determination Part I

**Foreword  
**Sorry for the _huge_ delay everyone! Long story short, I was massively busy with work, moving, computer problems, car trouble, jury duty, a broken finger and more. (Phew.) I guess bad things happen all at once sometimes. The important thing is to remember that it's only one moment in time - here I am, problems lifted, and back into my groove happy as a clam! I hope you enjoy this chapter - it's a 2 parter btw.

**DISCLAIMER:**

I once dreamt that I was Squall Leonhart. Does that mean I own _Final Fantasy VIII? _Nope.

**Chapter VI**

He had to move fast; there were at least twenty giving chase behind him. What he did back there... Given the circumstances, he had no other option. Although, a part of him enjoyed the rush he was currently experiencing. These assholes seriously underestimated him, and they paid for it. He didn't enjoy injuring his own people, but his mind was set. He couldn't allow anyone to get in his way anymore. If that meant turning on his allies, then so be it.

Her life was too important to him. His own life, his future; it was too important.

After fleeing the detention ward his first priority was reaching the ground floor and getting outside the Garden perimeter. Easier said than done, for sure. Garden was beginning emergency lock-down procedures in an attempt to halt his escape, but Seifer Almasy was far too cunning. Sirens were wailing, while all doors locked themselves electronically. He'd snatched an override key from one of the faculty however, knowing this would happen.

Overriding the shutter doors also opened the path for everyone chasing him and left a clear trail behind him. Somehow, he needed to throw them off.

Before fleeing the detention ward, he made sure to grab the cartridge for his gunblade. Slapping it in now, he pointed at the sprinklers over his head and fired a shot. As the bullet passed along the fuller of the blade it streaked a brilliant yellow, then shattered the skirt and canopy of the nozzle on the ceiling triggering the fire alarm. This automatically disabled the locks on every door so that personnel could safely evacuate. The halls would soon flood with people.

The sprinkler system mixed in a gelatin type agent that produced a thick white foam when released from the nozzles under pressure. It made the floor very slick, but he made it all the way to the second floor lobby. The elevators would not respond quick enough to his call though, and while the students and instructors used the stairwells the SeeDs were fast catching up to him.

He smirked as he peered over the railing to the ground floor. It was a dizzying height and it seemed that there was only one way down. Getting his clothing wet was sure to impede his escape, but he had to move, now, or be caught and arrested. There was no time to think about other ways; he sheathed his gunblade on his back and hopped atop the railing.

Quistis stayed with the wounded staff until Kadowaki and her med students arrived. As soon as the team entered the ward she shot to her feet. "Doctor! There are six wounded! They're mostly superficial, but this one here is critical!" She quickly knelt beside a cadet not more than fourteen years of age.

"Instructor..." the cadet rasped. "I'll be... I'll be fine, really."

Quistis grabbed his hand for a moment as she observed the pain in his expression. The aspiring SeeD in front of her... He came rushing in from the hall just after Quistis made her call for backup. He became victim number six to Seifer's selfish rampage. He didn't stand a chance and got the worst of Seifer's wrath.

How he did it, how he could so ruthlessly attack his own allies, she couldn't understand. It was making her sick as she tried to think about it.

"Sorry I... I screwed up. Heh." The cadet started to shake and closed his eyes. "I guess... I'm not quite ready... to be a SeeD, huh?"

The doctor took over and Quistis gritted her teeth with a searing rage she hadn't ever felt before. Her mind was focused now and her training took over. She had to stop Seifer before he killed someone. And only she knew where he was going.

Running into Seifer's cell, she retrieved her whip from the floor and grabbed a small radio from a downed SeeD.

"Quistis!" the doctor shouted. "Let the SeeD's handle it!"

The former instructor ran for the main hall cursing Almasy's name as she went. "Damn you Seifer!"

"_Quistis!_"

She stopped briefly in the doorway and turned halfway around. "I _am_ a SeeD. And I'm the only one who can stop him!"

"Seifer, freeze!"

The smirking cadet crooked his head just slightly at the sound of his name before allowing his body to fall forward over the edge.

"What the hell?!" The SeeDs and faculty rushed to the railing just in time to see Seifer splash into the huge pool of water below. "Shit! Hurry up, get that elevator up here!"

Another SeeD was busy punching the operator buttons. "It's coming!"

"Dammit, he's getting away!"

Seifer held his breath as he remained below the surface. Swimming beneath the circular walkway, he was sure they'd lost sight of him. He briefly surfaced for air and quickly thought of his escape route.

The pools here emptied into an artificial river in the Quad. Being completely outdoors, that was his best bet if he wanted to get outside of Garden territory in a hurry. However, he couldn't very well run all the way to Balamb Harbor, especially soaking wet. He needed a vehicle, and that presented a great challenge.

Of course, Seifer just loved a good challenge.

Quistis seemed to be running the opposite direction as the other SeeDs and faculty. She knew Seifer's intentions though, and that knowledge was telling her he'd be heading for the garage. She was sure she'd get the drop on him there, and when she did there would be no hesitation in her actions.

She used the emergency stairwell at the end of the second floor hall which led her outside directly west of the dormitories. It was still raining when she emerged from the building, but that wasn't going to deter her. She only hoped she could move fast enough to reach the garage before he did. It was a long shot; Seifer had a good head start on her. Even so, she had to try. She quickened her pace, ignoring the downpour.

"Fools." Seifer swam close to the surface and remained beneath the walkway, well out of sight. He used the various colored lights of the different corridors above him to determine his position. As he approached the yellow reflection in the water, he heard the unmistakable footsteps of his pursuers running in the opposite direction.

Listening closely to the movements above, he slowly made his way over to the wall and grabbed a hold of the in-set ladder. It didn't sound like anyone was close by now, so he continued to lift his body from the water, slightly unprepared for the extra weight he was now carrying. Foam from the sprinklers was beginning to collect on the water's surface and it lingered on his body as he emerged.

He wasted no time and climbed onto the walkway, his thick white trench coat leaving small rivers behind him. With a large grin, he flung his head back and slicked his hair with both hands.

The entry into the garage was clear. There were many vehicles at his disposal there, but he knew he hadn't the time to be picky. He rushed into the terminal nearby and used his gunblade to pry open the key box, swiping the first set he saw. They were keys to an ATV; not really the fastest of getaway cars, but plenty capable of going off-road which he was certain to do.

Time was precious, and it was only a matter of seconds before his pursuers caught up with him. By now they had to have figured out he wasn't in the Quad. Just as he jammed the key into the ignition, the pursuit had indeed found him.

"Seifer!" the SeeDs shouted again. "Get out of the truck! Throw away your weapon!"

In a second's glance, Seifer saw a total of five SeeDs and two Shumians flood the entry hall with backup certainly not far behind. They were armed, some with magic by the looks of it, and weren't about to show him any restraint.

He threw the shifter into reverse and floored the pedal, ramming the ATV into a convertible behind him sending it careening over the parking curb and into the wall. He floored it again, this time pushing the small sports car straight for the SeeDs. The vehicles smashed into the terminal sending glass and all kinds of sharp debris flying through the air. The SeeDs scattered to avoid being killed, and by the time they were up again Seifer was speeding down the tunnel, tires screeching all the way.

He was almost there, he could see the daylight. The gates were down of course, but the ATV punched through the wood and steel tubing with ease. Then something else appeared in front of him, and this was something that had him hitting the brakes, _hard_.

Quistis jumped into the road and held up her hand, the words _you're insane_ and _run for your life_ never far from her thoughts. She knew he wouldn't run her down though. He wasn't that cold-blooded. Still, as the approaching vehicle drew nearer, she had to shut her eyes and pray that she was right.

Seifer managed to stop barely a foot from his instructor. Had it been raining any harder, she might not have been so fortunate. Neither moved or spoke for what seemed an eternity.

Seifer frowned and finally shouted out the window. "Are you fucking crazy?!"

Quistis took a deep breath and tried not to pass out. She shook it off and didn't let her fear show through. "Get out of the car, Seifer! I won't ask again!" The rain was soaking her hair and droplets kept falling into her eyes.

He ground his teeth. "Decisions, decisions. Tell me... Why should I surrender?"

Quistis didn't answer and began to slowly advance to the side of the vehicle. She had to be ready for anything this time. If he managed to grab her again...

Seifer continued. "Yeah. I can't think of any good reasons either." He watched her closely, waiting for his moment. "Instructor... You don't have a Guardian Force with you, do you? Tisk, tisk. So unprepared you are."

She bit her lip; how did he know? Because she would have used magic already. She reached to her waist and picked up the small radio. "This is Quistis Trepe. I have the subject stopped at the front entrance, outside the garage tunnel. Send backup immediately."

"Hmm..." Seifer frowned. With a sigh, he tilted his head. "You don't honestly think I'm going to just sit here and wait for them, do you?" Already, he could see in the rearview mirror that a group was approaching from the tunnel behind them. Careful not to give his intentions away, he slowly moved his foot to the door and grabbed the handle.

"It's over. If you run, they'll give chase. Seifer, you can't get away." She didn't realize her error; she tried to wipe the rain from her eyes and at that moment, she let her guard down. That was going to be her end.

His frown transformed into a smirk. She just made a big mistake. Once again, his abilities were sorely underestimated.

With nothing to warn her, Quistis froze as she saw the door separate from the body. In an instant, she was struck with enough force to crack her ribs. The next thing she knew, Seifer had grabbed her and was shoving her into the ATV, stripping her of her weapon and radio, tossing them both to the curb.

"Seifer! Ahg!"

He had her sitting upright in the passenger seat, his gunblade dangerously close to her throat. "Don't move!"

"Fire!" The SeeDs were through with diplomatic tactics and had decided that force was the only way they were going to get him to surrender. The ATV was struck with gunfire and both occupants ducked for cover. A borage of magic was sure to hit them any second.

"Seifer, you have to stop this before you get us both killed!"

Her words didn't quite register over the gunfire and shattering glass; Seifer had shifted into gear and floored the pedal once again. "Let them chase us!" he shouted. "I'm going to Timber, I don't care what it takes!"

**The sixth piece...  
**Strength and Determination - Part I

It was 11:00am local time when they arrived in Timber City. The train screeched to a halt at the arriving platform and the doors opened up allowing its passengers to finally exit.

Selphie was the first to depart and upon doing so, she immediately found it necessary to pinch her nose shut. "Pee-yu!"

Squall and Zell could smell it as well, even before they stepped out of the cabin. The air was thick with the stench of gasoline fumes and exhaust. Timber was much more industrious than Balamb Harbor and the city was plagued with pollution. A thick brown haze circled the horizon and obscured the many tall buildings in the distance.

At least the sun was shining here.

Squall took the lead and started down the stairway into the small plaza directly ahead. In the distance he noticed elevated highways snaking through the city scape; it was captivating and impressive. This was his first visit to Timber. It was his first time in any big city, really. But there was no time to explore or go sightseeing. He was here on a mission, and that took priority over everything else.

Not long after the trio entered the plaza did a young man wearing a tan vest approach them. He was wearing a blue colored wool winter cap over his long blonde hair and had an expression on his face as if he were stoned. What the hell did this guy want?

"Uh, excuse me sir..."

Out of habit, Squall gave him one of his looks. One that was anything but friendly.

The young man in the winter cap scratched his nose and averted his eyes from the steely gaze. "My, uh... The forests of Timber sure have changed, haven't they sir?"

What the? Was this guy supposed to be their contact? He was just a kid. Well, _Squall_ was still considered a minor by his age, but still... He wasn't expecting to be meeting a teenager here. Especially a stoner like this. He sucked it up and started to answer, sure of what he was supposed to say. "Yeah, but the..."

"But the moogles are still here!" Selphie was a bit too eager for her own good.

Squall slapped his forehead.

"That's not right!" Zell pushed her aside, certain he knew what the correct phrase was. "It's _deer!_ Right? Or is it chocobos? Are there chocobos in the forest, Squall?"

"You're both wrong!" Squall turned and shouted. "It's ow-!" As he turned back to their contact, all he saw was a tan blur as the young man fled into the square. "Great..."

They followed him into the crowds but eventually lost sight of him. "That's great guys," Squall started. "Our first mission... Everything is going wrong." It was rare that Squall expressed any kind of emotion. The fact that he was expressing his annoyance then should have been taken seriously.

The group wandered around a bit without any idea of where they were or where they should go. Then Selphie, paying such close attention to all the railroads, noticed the same vested man standing directly on the tracks up ahead. "Heeey, there he is! What's he doing?"

Farther down the track was a yellow train which was speeding right for him.

"He's _gotta_ be stoned..." Squall uttered. "Why me...?" It quickly became apparent that he wasn't going to get out of the way, and Squall felt his heart tense up. He wasn't about to witness some dumb punk get squashed flat because he was too high to realize how suicidal his behavior was. "Dammit!" He ran.

"Squall!" Selphie shouted, joining in on his heroic endeavor.

"Oh, hey! A hotdog stand!"

The man in the vest stood there on the tracks, waving with his arms as if signaling the train to keep coming. Squall could only imagine what hallucinations this guy was having and felt an even more urgent need to reach him.

"Keep her coming sir! Keep her coming!"

He pushed and shoved his way through the crowd, even knocking a few people over, but their inconvenience was nothing compared the life threatening situation that guy was facing. "Dammit people, move! He's gonna be killed!"

The train drew nearer and suddenly blasted its horn, drowning out the noise of the crowd. Steam and sparks billowed from underneath as the brakes were jammed into place.

"Ahhh!" the vested man screamed, throwing his arms up in defense. As if that was going to protect him.

"Mooove!" Squall leapt into the air and shoved the guy out of the way and into safety. His own boot ended up stuck under the rail though, and Squall couldn't escape. The train was rapidly approaching, screeching horrifically as it came.

Selphie stopped and covered her eyes. "Squall!"

"Hey man, don't be shy with that relish! Come on, yeah, just slop in there! Sweet. Oh, don't forget the mustard!"

He couldn't watch. Yeah, this was exactly how he'd envisioned the end; getting creamed by a stupid yellow train. He was about to die saving some disassociated punk. _Great._

The impact, however, didn't come. He could smell the heated metal from the friction of the brakes, and felt a gust of air rush over him. Opening his eyes, he found a wall of dingy yellow paint taking up his almost full field of vision. At that point, he fell onto his back, eyes wide.

_Whoa._

"Dammit Watts, what the hell were you doin'?!" Another young man exited the train and hopped alongside the tracks.

"Uhh... Sorry sir..." Watts, the man in the vest, was flat on his back as well.

"How many times have I told you, never stand on the tracks! You're gonna get yourself killed someday, and I don't want it being me who runs you over!"

Watts lifted his arm and pointed towards the front of the train, where a young woman and some guy wielding a hotdog came running.

"Hey, is that them?"

Watts shrugged his shoulders. "They said... the wrong password..."

"Dammit, Watts!" The man kicked him in the ribs. "You mean I almost ran over the SeeD we hired?!" He kicked him again.

Selphie helped Squall to his feet. "Are you all right?!"

Squall patted himself down and brushed off the dust. "I'm fine."

"That was sooo cool the way you saved him!"

"What happened?" Zell asked just before taking a huge bite of precious hotdog.

"Nothing. Where the hell were you?" Squall retorted.

Zell looked down at his snack and swallowed. "Hey man, I haven't eaten since six this morning! I saw a stand and couldn't resist!"

"Whatever. Don't separate like that again, got it?"

"Well, technically, you were the one who..."

"Got it?!"

"Yes sir," both SeeDs replied. It wasn't that hard to tell Squall was just a little bit aggravated here.

Watts finally got up and stood next to his partner. "They seem kind of young for SeeDs, don't you think sir?"

His friend shook his head. "So they just graduated then, so what? Look at that gunblade, these are definitely them. Just call 'em over, we're payin' a damn fortune to have them come out here. The princess will have your head if they leave!" He climbed back inside the train leaving Watts to escort the three SeeDs.

"Ah, give me a break, sir..." Watts waved to the three. "This way everyone! Please, inside the train."

Squall squinted his eyes at the young man. He almost died because of this crazy fool; was he really willing to start taking orders from him?

* * *

"Seifer, stop the truck."

He didn't pay any attention to her pleas. It'd been about twenty minutes or so since he lost the others when he veered off the main road.

Quistis felt a sharp pain in her chest; a lingering effect from having a car door slammed into her torso. "I think you fractured a rib!"

"Shut up already!"

She tried to endure it, but the rocky countryside was making it unbearable.

She was shocked at the lengths he'd gone to this morning. What the hell was in Timber that was worth all of this? He mentioned... _her. "' ...can't let them throw _her_ life away...'"_ Was it Selphie? Couldn't be, they'd barely met. Was it someone else in Timber? What was motivating his actions?

"I'm serious," she started to plea again. "Damn you Seifer... What are you thinking?! What are you trying to accomplish by going to Timber?!"

He kept his eyes forward and barely shook his head. He wasn't going to tell her. He almost laughed when he thought of it. Looking back, he had the entire SeeD organization against him now. Could he ever go back there? Would he even want to? No. It was about time he'd broken free of their restrictions. Like he'd been saying this whole time, all that place ever did was hold him back. But not anymore.

"Answer me!"

"I said shut up!" He swung his fist out to hit her, but stopped mid swing. Only a few drops of water from his wet sleeve struck her pale cheeks. Something within told him it was wrong. He didn't get any satisfaction from hurting these people. Especially Quistis.

He lowered his arm and gritted his teeth. "Don't speak. I'll let you go once we reach Balamb Station. Just don't..." He turned and looked her in the eyes. She looked both pissed beyond words and in quite a lot of pain. "Just don't do anything stupid."

"Stupid... right..." She scoffed and directed her gaze to the rain covered window. She held her ribs and winced at every little bump they hit. "Hypocrisy... There's little I despise more than that."

Seifer didn't let it get to him. They were almost there, and he was that close to fleeing the country completely.

"You know the train for Timber has already left. Squall isn't even halfway there yet. How exactly do you plan to cross the ocean?"

He hesitated to answer. He pointed to the clock on the dashboard. "There's a train that leaves at nine bound for East Academy. I'm going to board that train and get off just outside of Timber." He stopped himself from continuing. Why was he telling her this?

"At nine? Bound for East Academy?" Quistis reiterated. "You'll never make it." The clock said it was already eight-thirty.

"I will if you shut up."

Another minute or so passed. Quistis needed to find some way out of this. She needed to stop him before he slipped away. It was no longer an issue of what he might do, but instead a matter of what he'd already done. His crimes, and that's exactly what they were, couldn't go unpunished. She couldn't get the image of that young cadet out of her mind. It was serving to fuel her anger at this point. Unfortunately, anger was never really that good of a negotiating tactic. But it served as a great distraction.

"How could you do that?!" she shouted. The pressure in her chest pinched a sore nerve, but she wasn't going to give in. "How could you attack another cadet?!"

Seifer's grip on the steering wheel tightened.

"You almost killed him you know! What would you have done had you killed a defenseless kid like that?!"

He was about to lose it. "Defenseless?! I seem to remember him rushing in with an unjustified arrogant attitude while trying to conjure up magic well above his level of experience! He was cocky beyond his abilities and got what was coming to him!"

If she could have, she'd have smacked him; or even broken his nose for such a comment. "You're the arrogant one! Always thinking you're so much better than everyone else! This isn't going to end the way you're planning it, you have to stop running and turn yourself in!"

His grip tightened even more as his eyes shut with rage.

Quistis turned her attention to what she had to do now...

"I'm so sick of everyone treating me like a goddamn child!" As soon as he opened his eyes and faced her, he knew he'd just made his own cocky mistake.

She reached for the wheel and jerked it as hard as she could. The sharp turning of the wheels and the speed at which they were going sent them into a devastating roll. The truck smashed into the hills kicking up dirt and mud while throwing sheered parts and debris everywhere. The ATV flipped over more than five times before finally coming to a rest on its roof. The weight had it sinking several inches into the mud and it oozed its way in through every available opening along with the rain.

Quistis was sure she'd fully broken that rib now. She didn't hear any sounds other than the creaking metal carnage she was caged in. She had to assume Seifer was knocked out; her mind was too focused on self-preservation at the moment, and her only actions were those of escaping with her life.

She grabbed the twisted frame of the door and pried herself loose, then crawled out of the wreckage and finally let herself rest face down in the mud. She could taste something bitter in her mouth; that pain in her chest was now at a truly unbearable level. She needed to get help. But she couldn't.

Seifer opened his eyes and realized he was upside down. He tried to gain his bearings for a moment and then noticed Quistis was laying on the ground several feet away; the rain literally adding insult to injury. From the looks of it, she wasn't moving. The thought that she might have been killed entered his mind, but he quickly shoved it aside. She was too tough. She had to have survived the crash. She had to.

"Quis... Quistis..." he uttered.

She had to be alive. "Quistis!"

Why was it so important to him?

* * *

"It's kind of drab in here." Zell stood in front of a narrow set of stairs and leaned himself up against the wall.

The interior of the train was shabby and stark. Squall had to agree with Zell, though he didn't much like _cozy_ settings either.

The walls appeared dusty, and the floors seemed to have never experienced a wash in however many years they'd been in service. The windows as well were filthy. Was this train their base or something? Hyne, how could anyone work in such an environment?

Watts stood next to the man who was kicking him a moment ago. He was wearing a navy sweatshirt and black shorts, and had short black hair contrasting blue eyes. He seemed like a bright guy, and judging by his posture and expressions, a very self-confident person.

Still, Squall wondered just how serious these two were.

"So," the navy sweatshirt guy began. "You three are SeeDs, huh? You all look kind of... young."

Was he kidding? They weren't much older, and probably far less mature. Squall didn't care about pointless chatter like this and went straight to the introductions. "Squad Leader, Squall Leonhart." He motioned to his comrades. "This is Selphie Tilmitt, and Zell Dincht."

"All right then. The name's Zone. I'm the leader of our resistance group, the Forest Owls." He stepped closer to Squall and extended his hand for a shake. "Nice to meet you."

Squall simply nodded, refusing any physical contact.

"Ah, okay then." Sensing a bit of resistance there, Zone went and offered a shake to Selphie instead. "Selphie. Pleasure to meet you."

She gladly accepted the gesture with that trademark smile of hers. "Thanks!"

Zell wanted some attention too; obvious by the way he rubbed his hand and extended it with the expectation of also receiving a shake. Though it never came.

Squall was getting bored again and pushed on towards the point of their being here. "So what exactly are we here to do?"

"Whoa, hey, slow down. Let me finish with the introductions!"

Now he was getting annoyed.

"This guy over here is Watts. But I guess you've already met, huh?"

Watts waved. "Nice to meet you sir!"

"He's our intelligence gatherer. No one gets the info quite like he does."

Intelligence? Watts? Where does such a word fit in with a guy who stands in front of a speeding train? "Whatever. Can we get on with this?"

"Hold on. There's still one more member to meet; the princess." Zone folded his arms and grinned.

All three SeeDs were getting agitated at this point; Zell was plopped down on the stairs while Selphie was fixated on the window.

"It's the princess's nap time sir," Watts whispered to his partner.

"Ah, crap!" Suddenly, Zone grabbed his stomach and bent over in pain. "Ow! Ah, my stomach!" He collapsed to the floor and sat against the wall clutching his chest as if experiencing a heart attack.

"Are you all right?" Squall asked.

"H-hey... Can you do me a favor? The princess is sleeping in her room. Can you... Ah... Can you go wake her? Ouch!"

Selphie finally pried herself away from the window at the sound of this guy's stomach apparently digesting itself. "That doesn't sound so good... Do you have an _ulcer_?!"

Zone pointed to the stairs. "Squall... Her room is at the end of the hall. Be... careful up there, all right? I mean it."

Squall did not like this request at all, and wasn't afraid to let it be known. With one hand on his hip and a tone of condescension in his voice, he asked, "Were we hired to run errands for you? Do we look like servants?" Without even giving him a chance to answer, he grew very impatient. "Well?!"

"Gees, are you _angry _at me?! Ack!" Those awful sounds grew louder.

Squall grabbed his forehead and sunk his shoulders. _"We're not gophers you know. We're SeeD, special forces."_ He put his hand down and looked back at Zone. "This is the only time for something like this. We are not here to play fetch." Few things annoyed Squall enough for him to act like this. Wasting time was one of those things.

Zone waved his hand at him, now in too much pain to communicate verbally.

Squall sighed. He'd do it, but only because he felt a bit sorry for the anguished man.

"Way to go!" Selphie shouted. "You tell 'em Squall! They can't treat us that way, we're _SeeDs!_ They should know better!"

Forced to get up and move for Squall, Zell starting shaking his head. "These guys don't seem to have it all together."

"_No kidding."_

As he drew near the door to the last room he felt a little apprehension brought on by Zone's behavior. Was there something in there he should be afraid of? Should he take out his gunblade? What did he mean when he said to be careful? How bad could it be? Just who were they calling "princess?" Maybe she was a real bitch. Perhaps she was even violent, especially when being woken from a deep sleep. Squall cringed at the thought of such a shrew.

Nonsense. If indeed there was something to worry about, some kind of extreme danger within, then he could jump on the defensive when the need arose; there was no need to arm himself just yet. After all, it was only a person in there. Right?

He kept one hand ready at the hilt, just in case...

He slowly turned the fancy golden handle on the mahogany door and peeked inside the room. There was an explosion of pink before his eyes. Everything, the carpet, the walls, the ceiling, the bed, it was all _pink_ in one shade or another. He relaxed a little and stepped inside, convinced that whatever was in there couldn't be too threatening. At least, not with any amount of dignity to support it. The only thing he had to fear was suffering an aneurysm in his brain from the overwhelming _feminine_ touch.

On the bed was a young woman with black hair; she had a dark pink comforter pulled up to her chin and appeared to be fast asleep. It was noon, and she was _sleeping._ The whole room smelled of perfume and lotion. Squall took a look around before bothering the "princess" napping in the king sized bed. What a luxury this room was compared to the rest of the shabby train. By the looks of it, she may very well be an actual princess. Then again, considering the rest of the troupe, that wasn't very likely.

Though the walls were pink, it was a very dark shade, almost cherry. The grain of the wood was clearly visible through the stain, whatever color it _officially_ was. The trim was dark mahogany and hand carved into exquisite designs. Even Squall had to appreciate the fine craftsmanship laid before him.

Against the wall beside the bed was a small wooden night stand with various kinds of lotions and trinkets scattered about the top. Among the trinkets was a thin and delicate silver necklace, with a ring attached to it. Right beside that was a small radial clock complete with a tiny pendulum just for looks. He could hear the hands tick the seconds away, even in this noisy moving train car.

Squall also noticed a large dresser at the other end of the room that took up the full length of the wall, and had a big mirror attached to the back of it. The top was cluttered with a mess of personal effects, such as more bottles of lotion and hair care products, perfume and small bowls of jewelry. There was also a white pair of panties with pink flower decorations on them and a bra just strewn about. Squall hesitated to pick up the bra in curiosity, then wisely decided against it.

He walked back over to the sleeping young woman and switched on the small lamp on the night stand hoping it wouldn't disturb her right away. He leaned over her to try and get a good look at her face. She had her head buried in her pillow though, which obscured most of her features, save for one eye and a nostril. She wasn't making a sound; no snoring, not even hard breathing.

As he searched what little features were exposed, he did notice something in particular. Something that made his heart almost collapse from a loss of pressure. Her black hair, it had... Blonde streaks...

"_It can't be..."_

As if right on cue, the train started to brake and jolted the occupants. Squall almost lost his balance and fell on top of the girl, but he managed to regain his footing and promptly backed away from her.

The princess rolled over and pushed her arms above her head with a big yawn. She took a deep breath and held it for a few seconds, then released it slowly. She noticed a particular scent in the air that she didn't recognize from her own potpourri of hygienic products. "That aftershave..." She turned her head, her eyes squinting from the light. When she noticed the stranger standing beside her bed, she quickly sat up and pulled the covers over her half naked body. "Hey!"

Squall's face turned immediately to bright red. He lost control of his muscles and couldn't move. He couldn't even speak. What was he to do? His SeeD instructors never trained for this kind of scenario!

Before shouting at him to get out, she squinted her eyes a bit more and then it suddenly hit her. That scar on his forehead. "Hey, you're...! You know! From the party!"

Oh crap, it _was_ her. The girl from the dance party. What the hell was going on? She's a member of the Forest Owls all the way out here in Timber? This had to be the most bizarre coincidence that Squall had ever experienced.

Still frozen in fear and unable to speak a word, he just stared back at her with wide dumbfounded eyes.

"So..." She put two and two together. "Does this mean you're a... SeeD?!"

Squall tried with all of his strength to clear his head and focus on his reason for being here. It didn't matter who was in front of him right now, all that mattered was his mission. He managed a simple nod, and strained to speak. "I-I'm Squall, the Squad Leader." His eyes were oddly glued to her's. He was frightened out of his mind, but he couldn't break away. "There are two others with me." Yes, that was it, just concentrate on the formalities.

The princess threw the covers to the side, revealing herself to be in a short nightgown; it was thin and without sleeves and there was no way she was wearing a bra. Squall tried to breathe, but his lungs seized up. So many strange things were happening to his body at this moment that he couldn't explain.

She let out a squeal of joy and then jumped off the bed, lunging at the helpless trained mercenary. She threw her arms around him and spun him several times in the middle of the tiny room almost knocking things off the night stand and dresser. "Yes! SeeD is here! _SeeD_ is here!! I can't believe it!" She almost knocked the lamp clear onto the floor.

Squall normally hated such contact, but because it was _her,_ it was different. He still hated it, but it was _different._ He slowly began to compose himself and regained control of his mind. "Take it easy," he said.

The princess let him go and stood in front of him, that gown barely staying on from all the jumping around she did. She certainly wasn't shy, was she? "Sorry, it's just that I'm so happy!" She clapped her hands together and brought them close to her chin in a show of immense gratitude. "Thank you _so_ much for coming! I've been sending requests to Garden _forever,_ but nothing! I'm so glad I decided to go speak to Cid directly!"

Suddenly, something inside Squall's head clicked. Finally, an answer to the question he couldn't ask. Why did she leave him in the middle of the dance floor like that? _"So that's why she was at the party. She was looking for the Headmaster. Still, was I just..."_ He focused his thoughts. "Oh. So you were looking for Headmaster Cid at the party."

She waved her hand and looked down at the floor. "Well, actually..." She looked back up at him. "You know Seifer?"

"_What?! How does she know who _he_ is?!" _He tried desperately to conceal his emotions. "Yeah..." he said.

"Oh!" The princess smiled. "Well, he was supposed to introduce me to Cid. I never saw him at the party though..."

That put his mind at ease somewhat. She really was there for the Headmaster, Seifer was just supposed to be a means of getting in the door. At least, that's how it sounded. That made him feel better, but... why? What did he care, either way? She wasn't anyone special to him, why should he care who she knows or who she's friends with? Why should he? Problem was, he did.

"Cid is such a nice man," she continued. She walked over to her dresser and picked up the bra. "Hey! Turn around for a second, will ya?! No peeking, I mean it mister!"

Squall promptly turned his back to her in fear of _many_ things. Shouldn't he just leave? Was she really going to...?

"You know," she began, as she started to remove her gown, "I really didn't think that SeeD would come all the way... out here just to help... a measly group like us." She threw the gown onto the bed in front of Squall. He swallowed a dry lump when he realized that she could be standing nude behind him. He had to keep his head perfectly still. "But after I explained our situation to him... Cid gave the go ahead right away!" She chuckled for a moment.

Squall was tempted to turn his head, but ever the professional and in control of his actions, he refrained from any such movements. The silence was unnerving though, and he feared what she could be doing behind his back. She stopped talking. Could he turn around now? He was beginning to shake from the insecurity.

"Ha!" The princess jumped him from behind and once again threw her arms around him. It startled the crap out of him, and he nearly pulled out his gunblade in defense. He turned around and saw she was now wearing a sky-blue duster; one that opened up around the hips and transformed into something more of a cape than a coat. She was also wearing tight black shorts and a dark blue denim skirt that buckled up the middle. The duster opened up around her chest and was tied together with two thin straps just above her breasts and went over her shoulders without sleeves.

Covering her chest and torso was a tight very low-cut black shirt that showed a bit of cleavage, and Squall certainly noticed she had a fairly large bust for someone her age. Extending from her wrists to her elbows were arm-warmers, made from the same sky-blue material as the duster. Tied around her left biceps was a thin black string, probably symbolic in nature. Maybe a designation as a resistance fighter.

She picked up the necklace from the night stand and fastened it around her neck, bringing all her hair to the front to make it easier. Her face expressed the struggle she was having, but she finally got it clasped. She looked amazing.

Squall couldn't stand here anymore. He was in foreign territory and felt vulnerable. He needed to get focused on the mission. "I'm going back downstairs."

"All right, let's go." She nodded to him and followed him to the door, but before he could step outside, she stopped him. "Umm, Squall?" She looked concerned. Even worried. "Is _he_ here?"

"'_He?'"_

She looked down at the floor and said the name, knowing Squall didn't understand who she meant. "Is Seifer here with you?"

Squall felt a wave of fire surge through him, leaving his pores saturated with sweat, and his heart palpitating with anxiety. He had already forgotten that she knew him, why did she have to bring him up again? He looked into her eyes. She had an expression that said his presence would be a bad thing. This somehow gave Squall the strength to answer. "No. He's not a SeeD." He couldn't help but feel a sense of pride from saying that. Yes, Squall was a SeeD and Seifer was not. That felt good to think, and even better to say.

Was he... hoping to impress this girl? It wasn't like Squall to brag or boast.

"Oh," she said. She had her hands behind her back and was staring at her foot as she fiddled with the fibrous carpet under her toes. "Oh, hey! I haven't even introduced myself yet, have I? Gees, you must have been getting all the wrong ideas when I left you at that party! I could have at least told you my name, how awful of me!" She slapped herself on the forehead. "I'm sorry, that must have left you so confused!"

"_Yeah, that hurt._ It's all right. No big deal." What a lie.

"My name's Rinoa. Rinoa Heartilly." She shook his hand, something that no one else was ever able to do. "Nice to _officially_ meet you Squall! It's certainly a pleasure and an honor!" She bent over and took on that look she had from the party. She was doing that thing again, where she examined him and moved her hips. She had a big smile on her bright beautiful face. "My, SeeD members dance quite well, don't they?"

Squall first took that as an insult; he danced horribly and she knew it, so why was she rubbing it in? Then it occurred to him, she was trying to make him feel good. He normally would not have thought about it that way, but he somehow saw her as incapable of making fun of him. It had to be the fact that _he_ could never make fun of _her._ His mind was a lot like that of a child's in so many ways.

He took a deep breath and tried to think of something to quip back. He wanted to sound cool and impressive, but all that he was confident in was his job as a SeeD. He thought of only one thing to say. "Try to approach your target inconspicuously at such events. As SeeDs, we are trained to learn various skills, as such subterfuge may be required during particular missions." It didn't have the effect he wanted it to. He could sense immediately that it was going to backfire, his attempts shot down with a single response from the girl he tried to impress. He did not do this often; try to impress another human being. He did not do this _ever._ He was about to discover the reason why.

"Oh," Rinoa said. That was it. That simple response said enough. He could hear the disappointment in her voice, and she was going to say more. "So it's work related then." She frowned. "That's too bad."

He hung his head in failure. Why did he even bother? This is exactly why he doesn't try at anything not SeeD related.

Just then, a dog wandered into the pink room. Rinoa bent over and scratched him behind the ears. "Here, let me introduce you."

"_Good timing,"_ Squall thought. No, wait a minute. This distraction was not enough. About the only thing that could take his mind off the embarrassment was if the train suddenly exploded. Actually, he was sure that even if that were to happen, this little scene would still remain in his thoughts at _some_ level. He was like that.

"Squall, this is my partner in crime, Angelo! Ha ha!" She kept scratching the dog's ears and talked to him in a sympathetic tone, as if speaking to a small child. "I have to go do some important work now, ok Angelo? Stay here and be a good boy, all right?" She kissed him on the head and patted him a few more times before she stood back up. "Ok Squall, let's go."

"_Finally."_

Squall and Rinoa headed back downstairs and Squall gave a very brief introduction. "This is Zell, and Selphie." Short and sweet, just the way he liked it.

Rinoa waved. "Hi! I'm Rinoa!" She looked over at Zone and Watts and nodded, then turned back to Squall. "Well, I think it's time for the meeting. This way!" She opened the door behind Watts and led the group into a dark cramped room. "This is our Strategy Room," she said. She picked up a pair of boots that were sitting beside the door and sat down on the floor as she started to put them on.

Upon entering, the three SeeDs took notice of how messy it was. There were papers and clippings all over the floor, books scattered and stacked in the corner, and a table with some kind of model railroad complete with miniature trains on it.

"Stand anywhere you like," Zone said.

Zell stood all the way in the back next to a bulletin board with news clippings tacked on it. There were several pictures of a man in a suit and articles from a magazine called, _Anarchist Monthly._

Zone closed the door behind him. "All right everyone. This is a full scale operation we got going here. Our resistance, the Forest Owls, will be forever known in the pages of history depicting Timber's glorious independence! Exciting, huh?"

Squall sniffed. _"Thrilling."_

"And it will all be made possible thanks to the help of SeeD! We're so grateful you could make it all the way out here for such a small amount of money. Really, we wouldn't be able to do this without your help."

Rinoa jabbed him in the ribs. "Get on with it!"

"Ow! Gees, all right."

Squall and Zell eyed each other.

"Ahem. Well, we recently got a hold of some _top-secret _information straight from Galbadia!"

"I got the info sir!" Watts shouted proudly.

"There's a VIP from Galbadia coming to Timber today."

Watts shouted again. "_Super_ V-I-P!!!"

Zone glared over to the rude blonde individual. "Yeah, ok Watts, I just said that." He looked back over to Squall and his comrades. "Anyway, the guy's name is Vinzer Deling. Ever heard of him? He's our archenemy!"

Zell took another look at the picture on the bulletin board. He read the name out loud, "President Deling."

Watts got excited. "He's not a president, he's a dictator! He's not even popular in Galbadia sir! He's a scoundrel and a villain!"

Rinoa stepped forward. "All right guys, I don't think they care about that. Let's just get to the mission already!"

Squall decided he liked her tenacity.

"President Deling is on his way to Timber in a private train from the capital." She went straight for what mattered.

Zone got the hint. "Our plan is to..."

Hyper energetic Selphie interrupted him though. "You want us to blow it to smithereens with a rocket launcher?!" It was impossible to tell if she was serious or not.

Zone assumed she was, judging by her big eyes and lack of a smile. He stepped back, a bit frightened of her now. "Uh, not quite. Umm... _No._"

Zell was getting very impatient and fidgety. He felt insulted by these guys earlier when Zone didn't shake his hand and was now holding it against them. "So get to the point already!" he shouted. "What the hell do you want us to do?!"

Rinoa took a deep breath and pushed Zone out of the way. "All right, fine. Let's begin this thing." She stepped up to the table and switched on a small light by the edge. "Everyone, gather around the model. I'll go over the plan step by step."

The model consisted of two parallel tracks that intersected at three separate points along the line. The top track had a model of a yellow locomotive. On the other track was a full train, consisting of a locomotive, a blue passenger car, a red car, and then another passenger car.

Rinoa pointed to the yellow one. "This is our base. We're riding in it right now." She pointed over to the other train. "The president's train has four cars; a locomotive, the first escort, the president's private car, and then the second escort. Our plan is to get aboard their train via the roof of the second escort. Once we accomplish this, the operation will begin. Our ultimate goal here is to seize the President's car with our base while he rides along completely unaware of his own abduction." She smiled when she thought about how that sounded. "In order to do this, we must use the three switch points leading up to Timber in order to get our base in front of the President's car. This requires perfect timing with the uncoupling of the escorts, which will be _our_ job once we sneak on board their train. This is why we need SeeD, it should be a piece of cake for you guys." She looked up at Squall with a big grin.

Squall didn't say anything.

"All right," she continued. "I'll explain the procedure in seven steps. First, we are to jump onto the roof of the second escort. From there, we will sneak across the roof of the train over to the junction of the first escort and President's car. Our base will use the first switch point to move onto a parallel track."

"The escort cars each have guards stationed inside," Zone added. "You will have to be very quiet when you move across the roof or you might alert one of them to your presence. The President's car has no guards though, so that should be easy to cross. Deling hates the company of his guards and soldiers and keeps all of them away."

Rinoa concurred. "That's right. I'll talk more about that in a sec. Once we reach the junction of the first escort and President's car, we have to uncouple them. We _must_ complete the uncoupling _before_ the second switch point in the tracks. This is absolutely crucial. If we don't..."

Selphie interrupted again. "Then, _boom!_ It's game over, right?"

Rinoa tried not to get distracted. "Uh, yeah. Anyway, I'll explain the uncoupling procedure in a minute. After the cars separate, our base will move in from the second switch point and link up with their train. This is when things really heat up. Everyone still with me?"

Everyone nodded.

"Next, we uncouple the second escort and use the last switch point to escape with our base and the President's car linked behind us. The guards in the second escort will notice they're slowing down, but the first escort and locomotive should continue on as if nothing had happened. Zone will have a strict time limit on the maneuvering, so it is absolutely imperative that we get everything done fast, and done _right_ the first time out. There are no second chances here.

"By this time, we expect the second escort to radio it in. Fortunately, there are no more switch points, and we'll be on a track heading far away from Timber. We will then prepare to confront Deling in his abducted train car. Did everyone understand that?"

Again, everyone just nodded.

"Ok, so 1. We board the second escort. 2. Proceed carefully across the roof of the second escort. 3. Proceed across the roof of the President's car. 4. Uncouple the first escort. 5. Our base moves in. 6. Uncouple the second escort. 7. Uncouple the second escort and escape with the president! Simple, right? At the speed the trains will be moving, we'll have a maximum of twenty minutes to complete the whole operation."

Zell shook his head and looked concerned. "Are you sure that's enough time?"

"According to our estimates," Zone answered, "It should take exactly that amount of time. It should be easy for you SeeDs though, right?"

Selphie jumped with glee. "Of course! Too easy!"

Squall shared Zell's concern. He didn't say anything, though he had his doubts that it could be done. Still, this is what he was hired to do. He had to do it.

"All right, now lets talk about the guards," Rinoa said. "Watts?"

"The guards in the escort cars are equipped with different types of sensors including sound and infrared sensors sir. You have to move very quietly, but if you remain still for too long, the infrared sensor will be triggered by your body heat. The trick is to move along as close to the edge as you can to stay as far out of range as possible sir. Still, you will not be completely out of range, so don't think you're all clear. Whatever you do, don't hang over the side and try to shimmy across! They'll spot you immediately sir!"

"That's about it for the guards." Rinoa summed it up nicely, "Be quiet and keep moving, basically."

"Question!" Selphie raised her hand as if she were in a classroom. "How do we uncouple the cars from a moving train?"

"I was just about to get to that. Ok, listen up Squall, this is where you and I come in." She waved for him to stand closer to her. "We can't uncouple the cars directly because the mechanism will be locked. Instead, we have to tamper with the electronic control system that manages it."

Zone stepped up. "If we disable the circuit, the mechanism will uncouple automatically as a fail safe, then initiate a backup circuit. During the few seconds while the lock is disabled, you'll pull the pin and unlatch the cars. To disable the main circuit, you simply have to open the control panel and cut specific wires. You have to be careful though because if you cut the wrong one you might set off an alarm or freeze up the controls. That would make it impossible to uncouple the trains at all. But don't worry, because we've got diagrams that depict exactly which ones need to be cut! Rinoa has them."

"I'll be in charge of relaying that information to you. The hard part is getting to the panel; it's located on the _side_ of the car, not in the junction." Rinoa smirked. "Think you'll be able to handle that?"

Squall was almost insulted. "Of course."

"Good. After the cars separate, we have to move quickly. Zone will operate the switch point and move in. They'll link with the president's car then match speeds so that the guards and the President don't get suspicious too early. Just before we reach the last switch point Zone will signal us and then we have to uncouple the second escort and quickly get back onto the President's car before they speed away without us. If the timing is right, we'll speed onto another track while the first escort and locomotive continue on towards Timber. The second escort will start to slow and the guards will surely know something is up. All they'll have to do is look out the window. But by the time their locomotive stops and they throw it in reverse, we'll be long gone. I know that this sounds complicated, but trust me, we can make it work."

"_Complicated?"_ Squall thought. _"Try insane."_ When he thought about it though, it seemed very possible. Like Rinoa said, timing was the key. As long as they could keep themselves from being discovered too early, it might just work. They _would_ be discovered though, there was no way they wouldn't be. "Sounds like a plan. When do we begin?"

Rinoa glanced out the window. "We've been stopped for a while now, I suppose we're just waiting for the President to arrive."

Zone nodded. "About another ten minutes and I'll have us moving again."

Selphie, so in love with trains as she was, starting playing with the model. "Wow, this model is so cool! You guys did a really good job!"

"Thank you!" Zone said. "Actually, we bought most of the model trains from a craft store. We were forced to..."

Selphie took it upon herself to go ahead and play with the trains and picked up the model of the president's car. She immediately received a shout from Rinoa. "Hey no, don't pick that one up!"

"Oops!" The car fell to pieces and the wheels rolled off the table onto the floor. "Wow, why is this one so crappy?" she asked.

As Rinoa bent over to pick up the pieces, Zone started to laugh. "Uh, heh heh. Yeah, we were forced to make that one from scratch."

Watts adjusted his cap. "Rinoa made that one, sir!"

Zell grabbed what little of it remained in Selphie's hands. "Oh, _that's_ why this one looked so awful. I thought some kid made it. The paint job on it really sucks too."

Squall didn't like how they were making fun of the stupid model train when there were much more important things to be focusing on. Though, as he looked closer, he had to agree. It was a real piece of...

"Oh, shut up!" Rinoa shouted. She didn't look up from the floor as she was still trying to gather all the pieces. "I made it like that on purpose! It represents my hatred for Deling!"

"Hatred, huh?" Zell tossed the hollow chasse back on the table. "Sure."

Selphie picked it back up; she just couldn't leave it alone. "It's the ugliest thing I've ever seen in my entire life! You must really hate him, Rinoa!"

She shot up to her feet and bumped her head on the table causing the miniature trains to derail themselves. "Ow! Are you guys finished yet?!" She placed all the pieces into a pile near the edge of the model and tried to straighten out the other trains. "Enough on the stupid model, ok?! Can we just get on with it?!"

Zone was cracking up and received a swift kick in the shin. "Ow! Sorry princess!"

Everyone shut up for a moment as Rinoa calmed down. "Are we finished? Now, let's decide on who's going."

Zone felt his stomach acting up. "Oooo, not again..." He grabbed his belly as a full on gastric attack crippled him to the floor. "Argh! My stomach!"

Rinoa put her hands on her hips and sighed deeply. "You're so pathetic! You have to stay here and maneuver the base anyway."

"I... can't help it... Argh!"

"What about you, Watts?"

He shook his head and moved closer to the door. "Uh, well... Gathering information is my specialty sir!"

"Fine, it'll be _me_ and the SeeDs! Zone, go get us moving already, I don't want to miss the President!" She turned back to Squall as Zone ran out of the room. "This is it, are you guys prepared?"

"We're ready," Squall answered confidently. That question was one she needed to ask herself. Was _she_ prepared?

* * *

He crawled out of the smoking wreck and hastily made his way around to Quistis. She was breathing, but there was also blood. What did he do? Shit, why did things have to go this way?

Looking around he spotted the town not too far away. The train station was in view; he could make it there on foot. Seeing Quistis on the ground on the verge of passing out, he thought briefly of leaving her. But there was a chance no one would find her in time, especially in this weather. Dammit, what the fuck was he supposed to do now?! _Save_ her?! Carry her into Balamb? Sure, and while he was at it, he could go right ahead and turn himself in; spend the rest of his life in some maximum security shit-hole of a prison!

Maybe Quistis was right. This wasn't going to end the way he wanted it to...

"Fuck," he cursed out loud. "Shit. God dammit Instructor... Why did you have to get in my way back there?!" He rushed to the rear of the truck. There had to be a med kit or something. If not, he was going to have to leave her, there was no other choice he could make. Surrendering was not an option.

"Come on!" He grabbed at debris and scattered items in the mud, but none of it seemed to be of any use. "_Come on!_" He struggled to open several black cases and other boxes. There was nothing.

That was it then. He looked back at his former instructor ready to make that most selfish of all decisions. However... the spot where she was lying was clear; only a puddle darkened with blood was there. "Quistis?"

She came up from behind and swung a tree branch at his back. It took every ounce of strength she had, both physically and mentally, but she got him.

"Agh!" He fell forward, writhing in agony.

"That's for the cadet back at Garden!"

Seifer rolled over on his back and watched his former instructor lift that tree branch again, somehow managing to get it over her head.

"And this is for me!"

At the last possible instant, he reached into the wreck and pulled out his gunblade, intercepting the splintered wood and knocking it free of her grasp.

Quistis dropped her intentions and ran toward Balamb. She staggered, and she knew it was a futile effort. A moment later, she felt Seifer grab her from behind. "Let go of me!" She kicked and struggled, but all it did was exhaust her further. The pain in her chest was taking over and she knew she wouldn't be conscious much longer.

"Stop it! Relax!" Seifer pulled her to the ground and wrapped his arms around her. "You're only hurting yourself more!"

Quistis hated to admit it, but she felt better in his arms. It wasn't comfort coming from his embrace; it was a kind of relief that only came from accepting defeat. She relaxed and started to sob, her tears clearly visible even amidst the rain on her face.

Seifer shook his head. "You should have had a GF... So unprepared."

"Seifer..." Quistis said softly. "You have to give up. Bring me to a hospital. I'll even... I'll put in a good word for you."

She was serious, and Seifer knew that. But he simply couldn't comply. "Stay here. I'll send help. But... you won't be seeing me again."

She closed her eyes. She didn't want to be left alone, even if her only company was _him. _There was nothing she could do at this point to stop him though. And off he went, leaving her in the middle of this dreary field.

Would he send help? Could she count on him to do that?

After everything he'd done today, she couldn't shake that feeling right now; that feeling of being his instructor. She was somehow responsible for his actions, for him being the way he was. In that way she felt it was her obligation to stop him. Was that the only reason she ended up here then? Or was there something else?

No. She was responsible for this whole mess. It was her obligation and nothing more.

Maybe if she'd given him more attention, or befriended him when they were younger, she could have prevented this whole day from even occurring. Though the truth was, they never got along; he was always hotheaded and arrogant. But his strength was unparalleled. There wasn't anyone else in Garden, save for Squall, who could match him. If only he'd shown more discipline, he'd have made an amazing SeeD.

This wasn't entirely her fault then. Seifer knew what he was doing. The events transpired this morning were consequences to _his_ decisions. How could he do this to them? How could he do this to her?

Will he send help? Or will he just leave her here? Why couldn't she be sure of anything anymore?

She watched him fade into the storm. The sound of heavy drops filled her ears and she could hear nothing else.

Seifer Almasy... "You... Selfish bastard..."

* * *

**Author's Note:**

There's hint of a Seifer and Quistis relationship here that wasn't in the game, I know. I've been planning this since chapter one. I changed the Timber mission slightly - I got rid of the other members of the Forest Owls... (Dodges flaming sticks) Well, personally, I never saw much point for them and after revising the whole mission here their role was eliminated completely. I don't much like "filler" in my work, and I felt that those guys would only be a distraction. Besides, it's a bit more intimate with just Rinoa and her two friends, don't you agree?

See you next chapter; _Strength and Determination - Part II!!_

Oh yeah! Thanks to Bebedora, Peptuck, SavannahX, Delathen, dissolvingbonds, Temeraire and SJsilver for your reviews! If I haven't responded to you personally, forgive me and my busy life! I thank you - you're comments kept me motivated through the rough and I'm happy to be back!

- L Raz


	7. Strength and Determination Part II

**DISCLAIMER:**

I like _Shades of Shadow _by Quintana and Speer. What does that have to do with _Final Fantasy VIII?_ Nothing. Except that I don't own either of them.

**Chapter VII**

The sound of the rain engulfed her senses and literally drowned out everything else.As she lay there drenched in the mud, the water continued to creep up to her lips and splash in her eyes. The field was shrouded in a mist from the deluge and everything around her appeared deathly gray. Cracks of thunder permeated the storm; the reverb compressing her chest as she strained to breath.

Injured and soaked to the bone, she felt hopeless and ashamed; disgraced. This was not Quistis Trepe. She was stronger than this; but why couldn't she get up?

Her body was going into shock, even as she recognized the symptoms. The shivers from the cold were beginning to slow and her vision blurred with every blink of her eyes. There was blood, but she didn't know where it was coming from. She could no longer feel anything; her nerves had shut down and gone numb.

Perhaps her injuries were more severe than she thought. So did that mean she was... going to die out here?

The former instructor closed her eyes, unwilling to accept her surroundings. She couldn't die in a place like this. She couldn't die under these circumstances.

Soon, the sound of rain hitting the ground became the sound of wind blowing through the trees. The darkness around her turned into light and the gray filled with brilliant hues. No longer hurting, she relaxed and embraced the comfort. Forgetting all traces of that dismal reality, she found herself laying in a field of tall grass and flowers. There were so many colors, so many scents. It was all so... peaceful.

Then someone just had to remind her...

"Can you hear me?! Open your eyes!"

She obeyed the voice that penetrated her delusion. Taking in a deep breath, she was suddenly slammed with all that pain and cold again, all at once. "Seifer!" she screamed. She couldn't see him, not yet. Her eyes weren't focusing properly, no matter how many times she blinked. Was that him? Did he come back for her?

"I've got ten minutes before that damn train leaves," he told her. "Take this, and sit up." He revealed a small blue bottle containing no more than a gram of fluid inside. It was a potion; he'd stolen it from a shop in town. "It won't heal broken bones, but it will stop the bleeding on your head and ease the pain."

Quistis reached up and grabbed it, emptying the contents into her mouth. The liquid was tasteless, but cold like ice. As soon as the contents had emptied, the glass disintegrated in her hand; the shards themselves faded into particles of blue light and smoke.

She was able to think clearly now and promptly sat up. She didn't know what to say, even as she knew what she had to do. She still had to stop him, she was a SeeD with a job to do.

Seifer stood up and stepped back. "Don't take this as an act of kindness. You're the only one who can keep up with me and I didn't want the fun to end so soon."

She stared at the ground for a moment ignoring his comments. "You weren't supposed to come back. You said I wasn't going to see you again."

The cadet smirked. "My dear instructor. I'm sure we'll run into each other again." He grinned and turned towards Balamb. His ride out of here wasn't going to wait for him.

Quistis sat there in the rain and watched him run off again. "Dammit." She slammed her fist down in the mud. This was her last chance. Let him go? Or keep the "fun" going? "Seifer Almasy, freeze!"

**The seventh piece...  
**Strength and Determination - Part II

The three SeeDs climbed onto the roof of the speeding yellow locomotive with Rinoa right behind them. The wind continuously beat them back, but the four pressed forward along the roof until they reached the front of the train.

"The first switch point is right up ahead!" Rinoa shouted. "Zone will activate the switch remotely and we'll speed onto a parallel track! At this point we'll have about ninety seconds to catch up and jump before the gap widens and our base is forced through a track behind some trees! Did everyone get that?!"

Squall shouted back, though he could barely make out what she said. "Got it!" He wasn't expecting the wind to be this intense; he could barely hear _himself _speak "Zell, Selphie! You two will jump before me! We have to be quick!"

They understood and nodded to their Squad Leader.

The President's train wasn't far ahead; they'd already passed the switch point. Rinoa could see the red car Deling was riding in, and the longer she stared, the more worked up she got. "This is it," she thought to herself. "We're finally doing it. We're finally taking action. Deling, your reign of ignorance and corruption ends today!"

Zone activated the switch and the base sped onto the other tracks. The group on the roof felt the locomotive speed up and before they knew it, they were side by side with Deling's train.

"I'll go first!" Rinoa shouted. She braced her footing at the edge of the roof and held her breath. The ground below was nothing but a blur and it made her dizzy. She closed her eyes a moment. "I can do this..."

Squall watched intently as Rinoa leapt across the gap. He hadn't realized it, but he too had held his breath. Relieved to see her make it, he motioned for Zell and Selphie. "Your turn! Move it, now!"

Zell took less time to prepare his jump but landed safely on the other roof.

Selphie stood at the edge with her eyes closed.

"Come on!" Zell waved. "You can do it Selph, just jump!"

She opened her eyes. "All right, here I go!" She leapt into the air.

Rinoa and Zell both caught her arms as she landed somewhat off balance. "Piece of cake, huh?!"

Selphie immediately crouched down to brace herself. "Hee hee. No problem!"

Now it was Squall's turn. He moved to the edge and turned his head to look ahead of the trains. That gap Rinoa warned of was rapidly approaching. He only had a few seconds before the jump became impossible.

"Squall, you can do it!" Zell shouted.

Selphie backed him up. "It's easier than it looks, really!"

He clenched his teeth. "Here goes nothing..." Just as his feet left the roof, the yellow locomotive began to pull away. He landed safely on the other train and watched the base speed away. "No turning back now!" he told them all. "Let's move!"

Rinoa led them across the first escort, setting the pace for them to follow. She warned them again about the soldiers on board, along with the array of sensors they were carrying. One wrong step and they'd probably be shot.

They continued along the roof, combating the wind and deafening roar, until they crossed the President's car. The junction between the first escort and President's car provided very narrow platforms for standing on. Zell and Selphie remained on the roof while Rinoa and Squall dropped down.

"Zell," Rinoa began. "We need you to keep an eye on the track up ahead. Let us know when the switch point comes into view! You'll see a large post with a blinking red light!" She turned to Squall. "We need to have this uncoupled long before we reach the switch so that our base can move in and link up with the President's car!"

Squall examined the components around him. The locking mechanism consisted of a pin and a magnetic release. The electromagnet was controlled by a circuit inside the first escort. That's what he had to disable.

Rinoa continued. "Selphie, keep your eye on the window into the first escort. Holler if you see any guards heading this way!"

"Roger!"

Squall peered over the side of the train. "I see the access panel. Let's get this over with." Gripping the railing tightly, he climbed over the side and hung himself precariously over the edge. He pulled the small latch, but the panel refused to open up. "Dammit!" He slammed his fist into it a few times and it finally popped off. "I'm in!"

Rinoa took out the diagram she had and pressed it flat on the small platform. "Okay, Squall! On the top right, closest to you, there should be a small black box with groups of cables coming out from three sides; east, south and west. See it?!"

"Yeah, I see it!"

"Grab the cable on the east side and pull it gently to expose the wires connecting to the box! There should be a green one, a red one, a yellow one, and two black ones! Cut the green one!"

Squall tried to gently pull the cable loose without ripping all the wires out at once. After he had them exposed, he looped his index finger around the green wire and yanked it free. "Done!" he shouted.

"Okay, next..."

"Hey! There's someone coming!" Selphie quickly laid herself flat beside Zell so she wouldn't be seen.

"Shoot!" Rinoa had nowhere to go, so she pressed herself up against the door staying as low as possible. If the guard opened that door, it would be all over.

Squall grabbed the frame for the window on the side of the train and let go of the railing. He slammed hard against the side and gripped it with all his strength to keep from falling. "Argh!" The pain in his fingers was excruciating, and that wind sure didn't help matters. They were entering a path cut through a small forest of trees, and the branches were whipping passed him at a frightening speed. Some of them smacked him and one tore a hole in his pants, leaving a small cut on his leg. "Ah! Shit!" He tried to take the pain and waited for the all clear.

The soldier inside the escort car walked up to the window in the door and took a look outside. He didn't see anyone. "There's no one out there!" he shouted back to the others. Rinoa could hear them through the door.

"Open it up and take a look! The damn sensor indicated a heat spike!"

"I just got a sound spike! You sure there's nothing out there?!"

"Oh no," Rinoa thought.

"I'm not opening this damn door and letting all that wind rush in here! Forget it!" He took another look outside. "There's nothing out there! There's some steam coming from a vent on the other car, that's it." He headed further back inside, away from the door. "And the sound must've been a damn tree branch or something!"

Rinoa cautiously stood up and peered through the window. He was moving out of sight again. Selphie peeked her head over the edge and signaled that it was safe.

Suddenly, it hit her. "Squall?!" Rinoa rushed and leaned over the railing to make sure he was still there. "You all right?!"

He shimmied his way back over to the railing and grabbed her hand. "Great!" he shouted. After climbing onto the platform, he flexed his fingers a bit and cracked his knuckles. Damn his hands hurt now. "Let's hurry this up!" He climbed back into position and waited for Rinoa to tell him what to do next.

"Hey guys, I can see the switch point!" Zell yelled. "We only have a few minutes, hurry it up down there!"

"Squall, follow the south cable to the other small box it connects to! There should be five thick wires leading out the other side! Pull out the red and black ones!"

Squall trailed the cable with his eyes and spotted the next wires. He tore them out. "Done!" He climbed back up to the platform as Rinoa pulled the pin before the backup circuit kicked in.

"Wait a minute, what's that?!" Rinoa pointed to a thick cable connecting the cars that wasn't visible beneath the coupling arms. "Crap, it's a power cable!" They quickly climbed onto the roof of the President's car before they separated. The cable stretched and snapped, but the lights in the President's car didn't go out.

Squall reassured everyone. "It was probably just for communications! Even so, we might not have much time before we're discovered now!"

The locomotive and first escort started to speed away as their yellow base sped up along side them. "Let's get to the next junction!" Rinoa didn't want to waste any more time. They cut this one a little too close.

The yellow base gained some distance ahead and made the switch. They coupled directly to the President's car and matched speeds with the first escort. Soon, they'd be making the final switch, and the President's car would be theirs.

"What was that sound?!" the soldier with the sensor yelled.

The patrol guard rolled his eyes and remained in his seat. "Probably more trees..."

"Go take a look!"

"I'm telling you, it was just more branches! You really think someone would be dumb enough to try and hijack this train?! Come on."

The soldier glared at his comrade. "Hmm... Maybe you're right." He picked up a small red phone beside him.

"What are you doing?" the patrol guard asked.

"I want to check with the second escort. Maybe they can confirm the disturbance outside."

"No, don't bother them! It's almost time for the report anyway, just wait till then."

The soldier sighed. "You're a real pain in the ass, you know that?"

Selphie was just about to drop into the next junction when she noticed movement near the door. "Wait! There's someone there, we can't go down yet!"

The soldier stood by the door, his back facing the window. "All right, it's time. Call in the report."

One of the guards in the isle picked up a red phone to call the first escort. "Hey... What the hell?"

"What's wrong?"

"The line is dead. Stupid piece of crap!" He slammed the pone against the post a few times, but it didn't seem to make things any better. "Heh. Looks like you're gonna have to go over there. Sucks to be you!"

The soldier by the door sighed. "Are you serious? Ah, shit. He's gonna yell at me again, I just know it."

The other soldiers started to laugh. "Heh heh heh. Good luck."

The group outside ducked down as the door opened. "Dammit, why me?" The lone soldier hopped the gap and proceeded inside the President's car.

Rinoa lifted her head slightly to speak. "We can't uncouple the cars until he goes back inside the escort car! We have to wait!"

Squall shook his head. "No! We don't have time! We have to do this now!"

Rinoa hesitated. He was right, there wasn't any time. "Okay, let's get down there! Zell, Selphie, you know what to do!"

Squall climbed over the railing again, ready for another exciting experience so perilously close to death. Although, he had to admit, this was what he loved.

The soldier walked slowly as he approached the President. The inside of this car was exquisitely designed and clearly conveyed its royal status. It was also much quieter, as well as darker. Covering all the windows were thick maroon curtains with gold lace trim. The floor was even carpeted and all the seats were fashioned like leather sofas. Damn, it sure is nice to be President.

"Uh, excuse me sir."

President Deling had his head back with his eyes closed trying to catch up on little sleep it seemed. He didn't react to the soldier's words.

"Mr. President?" The soldier bit his lip. "He's going to hate me," he thought. "But I have to tell him, it's my job."

"What do you want?" Deling asked in a low, angry tone.

Rinoa held the diagram steady. "Next, cut the red and black ones! That should be it!"

Squall pulled them loose and quickly climbed back onto the small platform.

After Rinoa pulled the pin, she watched the second escort fall back as it began to slow. It was just a matter of time before the soldiers on board realized it. Then, as that thick cable under the junction stretched and snapped, she smiled when she realized they had no way of communicating it to the others. "We did it! Everyone back on the roof!"

The soldiers felt their bodies moving forward as if someone hit the brakes. "Are we in Timber already?" They each peeked through the blinds and saw nothing but fast moving pine trees. Although, they were definitely slowing down.

"Check the President!"

The other soldier ran to the front of the car. "Son of a bitch! The President's car! They've hijacked it!" Both soldiers stood in the open doorway as a young woman in blue waved to them from their distancing train. "Argh, god dammit!"

"Sir, it's time for the report. We've seemed to have lost communications with the first escort and locomotive. Other than that, the sensors check out fine with just a few minor spikes."

Deling frowned and sighed. "So get over to the other escort and confirm this. Stop wasting time."

The soldier saluted. "Yes sir!" He bit his lip again. "There goes my paycheck..." he thought. "I'll never be able to propose to her... Why me?"

He didn't even have to open the door, he saw through the window that the paint was the wrong color. Where there should have been blue, there was yellow. "Shit! Sir!" He ran back to the President and readied his gun. "Sir, we've been hijacked!"

Deling sat up and turned around. "What?!"

The soldier checked the other door and saw his car far off in the distance. "I don't believe this! Mr. President, stay down!"

Zone activated the last switch. The base crossed over onto the parallel track and veered north, away from Timber. Rinoa and the SeeDs watched with astonishment and pride as the locomotive tugging the first escort sped away as if nothing had happened. The second escort was still rolling under its own momentum, but it would eventually stop.

Rinoa threw her arms around Squall, ignoring the wind and dangers of being on the roof of a moving train. "We did it!" she exclaimed. "We're heading far away from the city, they'll never catch up to us now! Thank you all so much for this!"

Squall eased her off. "It isn't over just yet. We still need to confront Deling, right?"

She nodded. "Yes! The time has finally come!"

Squall couldn't help the feeling he got though. Something didn't seem quite right. Whether Deling hated the company of soldiers or not, there should have been far more of them on this train. The fact that he and the others managed to hijack it didn't surprise him. Really, it was the fact that they even had the opportunity.

Something wasn't right.

The four took a few minutes to rest after getting back inside their base. Squall had to endure the most out there, but he acted as if it was nothing. Rinoa saw the cut on his leg and offered him a bandage, but he adamantly stated, "I don't need any bandages."

Zone and Watts both came rushing to congratulate their comrades. "Awesome sir, that was perfect!" Watts said to Squall. "That was incredible sir! You're the best sir!"

Squall inwardly thanked him for the praise; no hint of it conveyed in his expressions though. "Just doing what I was hired to do." That's all it was; a job.

Zone picked Rinoa up off the floor forcing her to stand. "Hey!" she shouted at him. "Let me take a break here!"

He pointed to the door in the back. "We've waited too long for this opportunity to confront Deling!"

"'_We?_'" Rinoa shot back. "So you're coming in there with me?"

He grabbed his stomach. "Oh, uh... I don't think I... should."

Rinoa folded her arms. "Didn't think so. What about you Watts?"

He shook his head and backed up the stairs. "N-not me! Gathering information is my specialty sir! You can handle the interrogations!"

"Fine! Squall, Zell, Selphie? You _have_ to come, this is an order!"

Squall shrugged his shoulders. "Well we weren't going to just sit here. Do you have a plan?"

She looked up at the ceiling for second then started to rub her hands together with a wide smirk on her face. "I've got some _serious_ negotiations planned! Heh heh heh."

"'Serious negotiations?'" he thought. "Are you going to rough him up or something?"

Ignoring his question, she stepped towards the door. "You guys ready?! Let's go!"

"All right!" Selphie threw her arms into the air. "A Presidential Convening! I always thought these things were so boring!" Her constant playfulness was both a blessing and a curse, not just for her, but for everyone around her. It certainly alleviated much of the tension.

As soon as Rinoa stepped inside the President's car, a gun shot rang loud and a bullet struck the wall beside her head. "Ah!" They'd forgotten about the soldier.

Squall pulled her to the floor. "Get down!"

"Don't come any closer!" The soldier shot off a few more rounds as the group dived into the bathroom compartments. "Die you resistance scum!"

"Squall!" Zell shouted. "How do we get passed him?!"

The Squad Leader didn't answer. He grabbed his gunblade and readied himself for a full on assault. Then he heard the President begin to speak.

"Knock it off," he told the soldier. "You're giving me a headache."

"Huh?! But, sir...!"

Squall peeked around the corner.

"Mr. President, they might try to harm you sir!"

Deling was seated with his back towards Squall and the others. He didn't appear too concerned with the situation. "They will do no such thing." He reached his arm out and grabbed the soldier's wrist.

"Ah! Sir?!" The President twisted and snapped the bone, forcing the soldier to drop his gun. "Arghh!" With a swift pull, Deling yanked him closer then threw him against the wall on the other side, knocking him out cold.

"What the hell...?" Squall thought.

Rinoa tugged on his shoulder. "What's happening?"

Squall turned around. "He took out his own guard."

Rinoa didn't understand. "What do you mean? He killed him?!"

Suddenly, they heard Deling speak again. "Are you four going to hide back there all day, or what? Why don't you come out and discuss what's on your mind?"

Rinoa clenched her teeth as she filled up with rage. She shot to her feet and ran into the isle despite Squall's advising against it.

Holding his gunblade ready, he backed her up along with his two comrades.

"President Deling!" Rinoa yelled. She noticed the fallen soldier, but she was too focused on confronting this tyrant to heed the warning signs. "Vinzer Deling, as long as you don't resist..." His still body and lack of concern had her bewildered. "As long as you don't resist, you won't be harmed! Now get up!"

He rolled his head to the side and very slowly began to open his eyes. What Rinoa saw frightened her, and she suddenly felt herself go weak all over. His eyes had no pigment; no iris or pupil. They were just... white.

She gasped and had to sit on the floor from the shock. "This... This wasn't..."

"What's wrong?" Squall asked. He raised Lionheart at the ready. "Rinoa!"

The President stood up and hunched over her with an evil grin on his unholy face. "Boo hoo! Too bad! I'm not the President!"

She staggered back over to Squall and sat at his feet, wrapping herself around his legs. She looked terrified "Rinoa, what's going on?!"

"He's...! He's...!" She couldn't speak.

The fake president still had his back turned to them. "I'm what you call... a body double." He turned around and revealed to the others his evil grin.

"Eeewww!" Selphie looked away.

Even Squall was shocked. "What the hell _are_ you?!"

The fake president staggered forward, still hunched over, his arms limp in front of him. "All these resistance factions in Timber... You pass on a bit of false information, and they suck it right up! How pathetic... you fell for it! It seems like there are... only... amateurs around here!" His voice was becoming erratic and strained.

Rinoa tightened her grip on Squall's leg, putting a little too much pressure on his cut. "Ah, Rinoa! Get up!"

She didn't move and just shouted back at the fake president. "Amateurs?!"

"Ahhh, my butt hurts from all this sitting... young... lady. Ahoh, so tell me... young lady." Gurgling and fluid-like sounds prevented him from speaking clearly. Something was happening to him. "What... did you have... in store for me... had I resisted? Hmm?" His movements became inhuman as he bent backwards and twisted his arm out of its socket. He started taking steps closer, twisting his legs backwards with sickening _cracks_ from the snapping bones.

Everyone but Squall began to show obvious signs of fear. Squall raised Lionheart and stared coldly back at that _thing_ in front of them. He was apprehensive, but whatever this thing was, he was confident he could bring him down.

"This... has all been quite amusing... though. I must admit... it wasn't... b-b-bad for s-s-s-such... _amateurs!_ Arghh!" He suddenly began to twitch and contort himself, screaming in agony as he did. His voice changed completely, to something much deeper and much more sinister. "How dare you insult the President!"

A bright flash blinded everyone and Squall felt an intense wave of heat envelop his entire body and push him back. It grew hotter by the second, but he couldn't see what was causing it. Despite being enclosed in a train car, a wind was gusting passed them and a roar threatened to deafen them. This creature was wielding some high-level magic.

The sinister voice continued to shout through the blinding light and pulses of heat. "You will all be annihilated for your insubordination to Galbadia!"

Something shot passed Squall's head and nearly clipped his ear. He dropped to floor in instinctive response and heard Rinoa shouting to him. "Squall! He's an un-dead monster!"

"He's using flare magic to blind and deafen us!" Squall shouted back at her. "You have to let go of me now!" Finally, she released her grip and he stood up. "Zell?! Selphie?!"

"We're still here!" Zell shouted back.

"What's going on?!" The fright in Selphie's voice was unnerving.

"Stay down!" Squall ordered them to stay back as he rose Lionheart and charged at the source of the light and roar. The heat was rapidly reaching searing temperatures, and he could smell the smoke as his leather jacket singed. Still, he charged, shouting as he went. "Ahgghhh!"

Something stabbed him in the shoulder, but he didn't stop. He lost his footing though, and started to trip. As he went down, he swung the gunblade at whatever was sticking into him. "Ah!" It sliced through something hard, like bone, then after he hit the floor he tore the damn thing out of his shoulder and tossed it.

Suddenly, the light faded and the roar silenced. In front of Squall stood a huge mutated creature, resembling a vaguely human form. Its head was barely a scull with only a few layers of dead white and blue skin stretched over it. Those all white eyes were sunken in and bloodshot. He had fat elongated arms with massive bloody claws in place of fingers. Squall had severed one of those arms; that's what stabbed him. Its body was studded with other smaller spines and was covered in blood and some kind of strange steaming white ooze.

The whole thing smelled horrific.

The creature screamed in pain as putrid black blood gushed from the wound. It swung its deadly appendages wildly trying to hit anything it could.

"Attack!" Squall shouted.

Zell hesitated before engaging in hand to hand combat with that thing. Selphie swung her nunchaku at the creature and tangled the chain around its claws. It dragged her closer and she was forced to let go of her weapon. "Ah!" She thought quickly though, and used the strength provided by the Guardian Force within her. "Siren, cure!"

"What the hell're you doin'?! Don't _cure _it!" Zell shouted at her.

Squall knew exactly what she was thinking. "Yes! Use healing magic!"

A soft blue light circled around its feet and formed ribbons that snaked around its deformed body. The lights converged near its chest and shot into its torso. The creature hollered in pain, like a demon cast in holy light.

Squall stood up and used the moment to decapitate the monster with his gunblade. The body continued to twitch for a few moments after it fell, even as the head rolled down the isle.

Selphie knelt down next to Rinoa as she looked up at Squall. "Is it dead?"

Squall sheathed his gunblade and nodded. "Technically, it already was. But yeah Selphie, its dead." He kicked at the lifeless, blood and ooze covered body just to make sure. The skin of the creature appeared to melt and soon the entire body liquified into a puddle of decaying flesh where it slowly evaporated.

Rinoa stood up while holding onto Selphie's hand. "Wow. I guess you guys really are trained professionals."

"Are you ok?" Squall asked. It was directed to all three of them.

They nodded and Selphie walked over to pick her nunchaku up off the floor. She pointed to the stain in the carpet. "That's what you get for taking on SeeD!"

They headed back to Timber after ditching the President's car and Watts departed to gather more intelligence. They stripped the unconscious soldier and gave the uniform to Watts so that he could solicit info more easily.

A long period of silence passed as the rest of the group stood in the strategy room reflecting on the events of the last hour. Tied in the corner was that soldier, still unconscious.

Rinoa seemed to be taking things pretty hard. She and Zone were leaning against the table with the model trains, both of them with very serious expressions on their faces. Squall was only eager to know what they would do next.

Zone was the first one to speak. "Man. I can't believe that the President was a fake!"

Rinoa laughed. "I can't believe we fell for it! We should have known. Kidnaping the President?! Were we insane to think it would actually work?!"

Watts came rushing into the room very excited. "New info sir! It's big news!"

"What did you find out?" Zone asked.

"The _real_ president is on his way to the TV station sir! Security in the city is super tight now! There are soldiers everywhere!"

Rinoa was confused. "The TV station? Why in Timber? They can broadcast from the capital just as easily, can't they? That doesn't make any sense."

Selphie suddenly remembered something. "Heeey, Squall. Do you think this might have something to do with the Dollet Communication Tower?"

"What's that?" both Zone and Rinoa asked together.

Squall answered them. "There's a communication tower in Dollet that can handle radio waves on a broadcast scale for both receiving and transmitting. It had been abandoned for over a decade, but the Galbadian military got it up and running yesterday."

Zone nudged Rinoa's arm. "Oh, I get it! The only TV station that can handle broadcasts over the air is here, in Timber! Other stations all use HD cable now, which only supports online broadcasting."

Rinoa shrugged her shoulders. "So, what's that supposed to mean?"

"They're planning on using radio waves. This way, they can transmit to regions that don't have cable."

Rinoa hit him. "I know that! What I want to know is, what the hell is President Deling going to broadcast?! It must be something they want to say to the whole world."

Selphie grinned and ostentatiously put her arms up. "Everybody! Love and... peace!"

"I don't think so," Rinoa told her.

"Hey, if I remember correctly..." Zone scratched his head. "Radio waves haven't been in use on that scale in like... seventeen years. Since I was just a toddler."

Rinoa folded her arms. "I was just a newborn then." An idea suddenly came to her. "Hey! Wouldn't it be great if the first live, over-the-air broadcast could be the declaration of Timber's independence?!"

"You know what? That might actually be possible! If we can get to the TV station before they begin their broadcast, we might be able make one of our own!" Zone threw his arm around Rinoa. "Great idea!"

"Let's come up with a plan then!"

Squall was getting impatient. Zell and Selphie both looked very tired and frustrated.

"Can you give us a minute?" Rinoa asked Squall. "We're working on our next plan!" She, Zone and Watts all squatted on the floor and started whispering to each other.

"Hey," Zell said. "Squall, over here."

Squall walked over to the exhausted martial artist.

"Are they for real? They call that a strategy meeting? I can't believe Cid agreed to draw up a contract with these people!"

Selphie agreed. "Can't we go home now? We helped carry out their mission. Squall, shouldn't you take a look at the contract?"

She had a point. Squall never did ask to see it, and he was also curious of what it entailed. He walked over to Rinoa and tapped her on the shoulder.

"Oh! Good timing, we've come up with a plan!"

Squall didn't want to hear it. "Before we get into that, can I see your contract with our Garden?"

"Hm? Oh, sure!" She opened a small file cabinet directly in front of her and pulled out a single sheet of paper. "Here you go!"

Squall ripped it out of her hand.

"What's it say, man?"

He started to read it out loud. "'This deployment contract issued to the resistance faction, Forest Owls, hereafter referred to as party A, officially grants the services of SeeD special forces, hereafter referred to as party B...'"

"What the hell?!"

"Oops!" Rinoa reached into the cabinet again. "Sorry, that one's a little confusing. When I told Cid I didn't understand it, he made me a new one. Here you go!"

Squall tore the new one from her hand even more forcefully than before.

"Cid is such a nice man," she added.

Selphie leaned over Squall's shoulder. "What's it say this time?"

"'To the Forest Owls. This SeeD deployment contract will remain valid until Timber fully achieves its independence. Please make good use of each SeeD member and listen to their concerns. I wish you the best of luck with your objective. Also, please understand that this contract is an exception to all others, and that no replacement of any SeeD member can be made. Signed, Balamb Garden Headmaster, Cid Kramer.'"

Zell wanted to rip all his hair out. "Until Timber achieves independence?!"

"That's sooo vague!"

Squall rubbed the scar on his forehead and knelt down on the floor. "This is ridiculous. Just how much money are you paying Garden? Wait, don't tell me, because I know it's nowhere _near_ enough to pay for a contract like this." He sighed. He was tired, and his behavior was slipping. "Why would the Headmaster do this to us?"

"Hey," Rinoa said. "You're paid professionals! No complaining!"

Yes, perhaps. It was a job. As professionals, they had to carry out the contract, no matter how ridiculous it seemed. Still, this sucked. They could end up spending the rest of their lives trying to fulfill it. The Headmaster must be out of his mind. Then again, maybe he knew something they didn't...

"All right," Squall said. "Sorry Zell, Selphie, but it looks we're going to be stuck in Timber for a while." He stood up and handed the contract back to Rinoa. "What have you three decided to do next?"

Rinoa grinned. "We're going to storm the TV station!"

* * *

Quistis got on her feet and ran after him. She was right on his heels, and had she her weapon, he'd be down by now. "Seifer! You won't get away from me!"

He started to laugh as they both charged through the rain. Damn, she was persistent. "I've never seen you so driven, Instructor! If I didn't know any better, I'd say you had a crush on me!"

She ground her teeth at his sarcasm. "If you're going to Timber, then so am I!"

They soon entered the train yard where the tracks were filled with cars and broken down locomotives. Further up ahead, Seifer spotted his train. Aiming his gunblade, he shot the lock off the gate before reaching it then kicked it open. "Shit, it's already moving!"

Quistis was right behind him, though the loose gravel in the tracks was slowing her down.

"This is it!" He reached out and grabbed the handle at the rear of one of the cars. Pulling himself up, he swung himself into the junction and stood on the platform waving. "I promise I won't forget to write, Instructor!"

"Argh!" Quistis growled as she ran along side the train. "For the millionth time, I'm not an instructor anymore! I'm just..." She jumped into the air and grabbed hold of the railing one car behind. "I'm just a normal SeeD now!" she shouted to him.

Seifer leaned his back against the door and folded his arms with a large grin on his face. Admitting only to himself, he was happy she made it. He turned around and stepped inside the train, not looking back at his _former_ instructor.

What was she doing? Sure, she'd caught up to him, but for what? There was no getting off this train once they entered the tunnel. Garden likely didn't know where he was headed, so she couldn't expect backup to follow. What was she going to do once they reached Timber? Seifer already made it painfully clear he was not going to stop. The only thing that wasn't clear... She still didn't know what he was after.

She opened the door and proceeded inside, holding her ribs as she walked. Seifer wasn't going anywhere now, so her first priority turned to drying off and getting cleaned up. And of course, there was her broken rib to attend to. There had to be a med kit on board this train with something more than a potion inside. That's what she needed to look for right now.

As for Seifer... She'd have to wait until they reached Timber. There were likely no authorities on this train, and no way to restrain him. Maybe she could use this time to find out what he was after. It was a four hour ride into Timber. Being one time zone behind, that meant they'd arrive at twelve o'clock, Timber time; one hour behind Squall.

She wondered for a moment. What kind of mission were Squall and the others going to face when they got there? She might need his help and have to pull him off of it. On second thought, there was no question about it.

* * *

"Do we know where they're headed?"

"Witnesses spotted them on a train bound for East Academy, sir. Our best guess is that Seifer plans to jump just outside of Timber."

The Headmaster took a seat at his desk. "What about our situation here?"

The SeeD standing before him took a deep breath. "We've got the students in the dormitories for now until the Garden can be cleaned up. Casualties range from minor cuts and abrasions, to one critical chest wound. Total number of reported injuries is eight. That does not include Ms. Trepe, however."

"Quistis..." Cid said softly. "Do we know what her condition is?"

The SeeD shook his head. "I'm afraid not. Last sighting of her, Seifer was forcing her into his vehicle. The truck was hit with gunfire, but there was no indication that either occupant was harmed. We suspect she will be taken to Timber as a hostage." He made another note on that subject. "We found her weapon outside the garage tunnel. Their vehicle was discovered not far outside Balamb Harbor, wrecked. There was blood on the scene, but we don't know who's yet. We don't believe she is armed, and therefore must assume that she is under Seifer's captive and completely at his mercy."

The Headmaster closed his eyes after hearing that. "Your assumptions are valid."

"Sir. Should we mobilize SeeD? Send backup to rendevous at Timber?"

"No," Cid quickly replied.

"Sir?"

He folded his hands on his desk and sighed deeply. "There is a team already in Timber. I'm sure they will be able to resolve this." There was another reason, but this was not something he could tell anyone else. He was playing this according to Fate's design.

"Um... Your orders then, sir?"

Cid looked the SeeD in the eyes. "Our priority is to restore order in this Garden. Classes should resume as soon as possible. And let's keep the authorities out of this affair, shall we?"

"Yes sir." The SeeD saluted and exited the Headmaster's office.

Cid rose from his chair and paced over to the window. The storm was finally passing, but in its wake it left so much chaos. There were so many conflicting emotions running through him at the moment. He doubted himself and his orders. He could only pray that he was doing the right thing. If any of his "children" were killed, well... He didn't know what he'd do. He had to have faith that everything was going to work out. Seifer's rampage this morning was perhaps part of the larger design, and might prove beneficial.

But only time would tell.


End file.
